


A.R.T City Blues

by Jean_Hanna



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Real World, Art, Asexual Character, Curses, Dystopia, Fantasy, Female Antagonist, Female Protagonist, Friendship, Future, Gen, Inspired by Music, Inspired by..., Major Original Character(s), Male Friendship, Male Protagonist, Male-Female Friendship, Monkeys, Multi, Museums, Music, Musical Instruments, Novel, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Other, Politics, School, Social Commentary, Spirits, Strong Female Characters, Supernatural Elements, Technology, Trans Character, Work In Progress, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-01-10 18:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jean_Hanna/pseuds/Jean_Hanna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kid was raised by the Caretakers who guard what is left of the worlds art. As he explores the museum during the quiet hours of the night, he finds himself drawn to the displays of music wondering what music could be. Little does he know that he is about to embark on a journey to return music and art to a world that would fear it. He has a long road ahead of him, but with the help of Lix, Yin Ling, and Three of the Great Five Rulers that would see art return, Kid not only finds the music within himself, but the music of the world. He will have to cross vast wastelands and oceans, fight off the Artist Rehabilitation Team, cross borders, and learn to understand the world in which he lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Life With Out

**Author's Note:**

> This is a novel I am working on and I would love to get feedback from avid readers. I would love constructive criticisms and if there are any grammatical errors please let me know! I hope to one day publish this and anyone that leaves a comment will have their username in the acknowledgement page (if you want, if not let me know). I may repost revised chapters upon request and will leave notes if they are revised. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> This work was inspired by a lot of things and though I'd like to think it was all out of my own head it wouldn't be possible without the people I've named my characters after, the music I mention, or the source of inspiration I had for this work.

**Life With Out**

 

No one remembers when music and art disappeared from the world. The devastating disasters of the Great War of Ages left human-kind dumb for creativity and artists were the ones held responsible. For that they were promptly extinguished from the world.

            Museums, funded by the Great Five Rulers, held relics as warnings behind thick glass: full orchestra chairs, empty save for broken and melted instruments lying forgotten; books from all genres and time periods crammed into rows and rows of bookshelves, their spines cracked and the titles blackened out; paintings slashed to ribbons, sculptures crumbled on the floor; millions of feet of film exposed to harsh florescent lights.

            The people began to live in fear of anyone who possessed imagination. The Artist Rehabilitation Team would be called to take any child who showed a creative inclination away to what the Great Five Rulers called “Rehabilitation Schools”. It was not long before those who remembered music and art died out. The few that did remember were sent to the Schools never to be heard from again.

            The new century began in silence. There was no grand celebration as the clocks rang out in a dull buzz to signal the beginning of a new age. The Great Five Rulers sat in their chairs, drinking wine, and toasting to their immortality and security over human-kind. Little did they know the silence would not last…

            Music was about to crescendo out of the ashes.


	2. Kid and the Time Machine

** Kid and the Time Machine **

            The museums were lonely places for its caretakers. Over the years, as memories faded of art, so too did the need for parents to take their children on field trips to show them the glorious conquests of the Great Five Rulers and the dangers being creative could bring. Children learned very early on to obey the rules and do as they were told. However, there was one child who was different than the others. Robert “Kid” Timmons was raised in one of the museums by the caretakers.

            His parents, he had learned, had died when he was a small child and was told their deaths were of natural causes. One of the caretakers found him abandoned on the steps of a museum one morning as he was headed into the building. It had been raining for two days. The caretaker saw Kid huddled in a ball shivering. His head was pressed against his knees, hiding his face from the water. The caretaker had held his black umbrella over the boy, prompting him to look up. His long, dark, and wet hair clung to his face. He was flushed and his dark eyes were glassy. The caretaker was able to lift him in one arm and carry him into the museum, were he was dried off, given food, a bed, and a name. The caretakers then raised him on history and kept him hidden away from the A.R.T.

            Years past, and Kid knew almost everything about the museum he grew up in, except for how to get into the displays. He would spend the hours that the Museum was closed staring into one particular display. The display held four black stools, each holding a piece of twisted and tarnished metal. In the back of the display sat a set of red barrels that looked as if at one time they were covered by some sort of plastic material. Some of the barrels were shorter, some were wider. The biggest barrel that sat on the floor was caved in, looking more like a crescent moon then a barrel. There were also bent metal plates draped on top of metal posts attached to some of the barrels. Off to the side from the stools sat what looked like to Kid a very shallow desk, locked up tight so no one could see its secrets. Something drew Kid to this display, stirring some unknown emotion inside of him. The display was named “Jazz the Evil” and Kid would lie awake wondering what “Jazz” could be. There were other displays that Kid found fascinating, but none moved him like that particular display.

            One evening in late spring when the clouds were at their greyest, the caretakers brought in a new piece to place on display. Unfortunately, they did not know where to place it. The piece was a medium sized wooden box. There were two brass latches, one at the top of the box and the other opened a small compartment on the back. The caretakers placed it in the back room and left for the night. Kid was never allowed to touch the Museum pieces, but this one struck his curiosity. When he bid the caretakers good-night, and was positive he was alone, he slipped into the backroom and carefully examined the box. His slender fingers caressed the sharp edges of the lid. He stopped for a moment when the cold brass brushed his thumb. He glanced nervously around him and carefully unhooked the latch and opened the lid.

            Inside the box was shallower than Kid expected, and housed a rather large disc that took up most of the volume. In the centre of the disc was a small piece of metal. Kid felt that it was there to hold something in place. In one corner of the box, Kid could make out little holes and when he reached his hand inside, he found the disc was able to move. On the opposite side of the holes, was a long thin arm. Kid carefully lifted it by its thicker end. He let out a small gasp as a needle on the end of the arm punctured his finger. He sucked on the injury and let his eyes wonder to a small dial in the lower corner. It was black with a small white nick on the top of it. He carefully turned it, feeling a slight click just at the start. The white nick moved to the right and stopped before it could turn all the way around. He turned back to where he had found it, feeling the click as he put it back in place. Kid carefully closed the lid and turned the box to see the compartment on the back.

            There were no hinges on the compartment door. Instead, once the door opened upwards it slid comfortably into the box. Inside the box, Kid pulled out a thin sheet of black cardboard. On the front of the cardboard was the faded face of a darker skinned man. He was lit by a yellow light, wore a bow-tie and had an expression on his face Kid could hardly put a finger on. He wanted to think the man in the picture looked sad, but felt that that wasn't the right word for it. The man was glancing to the eleven words written beside him. Two words were white, then the next six words were a tangerine orange and the last three words were in white again.

            “Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Blue Note 4003” Kid read aloud. He felt his heart skip a beat at the word “Jazz”. He turned the cardboard over in his hands. The back was white and looked as if at one point in time it was filled with words, but now Kid could barely make them out. As he turned the cardboard over, he felt something shift and hit his hand. He found a slit in the cardboard and carefully slid its contents out. Inside was a black disc with a large blue and white label. It was smaller and thinner than the disc in the box. There were thin grooves on the black part. The blue space of the label read “Blue Notes” and the white was filled with writing:

            33 1/3 MICROGROOVE LONG PLAYING. BLUE NOTES RECORDS – 47 WEST 63rd – NYC. ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS BLP 4003 SIDE I (BN 4003-A). 1. MOANIN' (Bobby Timmons) 2. ARE YOU REAL (Golson) 3. ALONG CAME BETTY (Golson). Lee Morgan, trumpet; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie Merritt, bass; Art Blakey, drums.

            Kid noticed a hole in the centre of the label. He carefully opened the top of the box again and placed the thin black disc onto the spinning one in the box. The metal piece in the centre was just small enough to slide through the hole, but big enough to keep the disc in place. He wondered what to do next and looked into the back compartment again. Inside was a plug, carefully wrapped up and hanging from the top of the box. Kid freed it and looked around for a power source he could use.

            The Caretakers each had ancient lamps plugged into small outlets on their desks. Kid carefully picked the box up from the work table and carried it over to one of the desks, grunting at the unexpected weight. As he pulled the plug on the lamp he hesitated. He looked anxiously around before he plugged the box in. He was a bit disappointed that nothing happened right away. He looked into the top of the box and turned the dial. As he felt the click the disc began to turn and a static buzz came out of the little holes. His face lit up; the machine worked. He looked at the long arm with the needle on the end and slowly lifted it moving it onto the spinning disc.

           At first there was nothing but static, then suddenly a sound Kid had never heard before came through the box. He jumped back in surprise, nearly knocking over the chair that was positioned behind him. It didn't take long before other sounds began to protrude from the box and fill the Caretakers' room.

            Kid's heart swelled with the new unknown sounds. He felt strangely complete as the little box made its noise. He closed his eyes and let “Jazz” wash over him and take him back in time.


	3. The Great Five Rulers

**The Great Five Rulers**

            The Great Five Rulers, a mystery to the subjects of each region, each gained power at different times during the War of Ages. What was commonly known about them was that each ruler was immortal. And because of their immortality, they were unchallengeable.

            Chen Kun-Ling held a deep respect for her subjects in the Red Dragon District. She was the youngest member of the Great Five Rulers, but by far the most lethal. She was born the day the War of Ages begun, orphaned by the time she was five, and completely independent by the age of thirteen. She was silent and easy to under estimate. Chen was the first to secure the largest region of the world and kept advancing the technology, medical research, and well-being of her people. Her deadly instincts are what kept her in power and unmatched by any of the other Great Five Rulers. Chen's face maintains an innocently sweet look, with her sharp oval face, a nose suited to her features, a small mole on her left cheek, and beautiful raven hair; a naturally beautiful and dangerous leader.

            Oskar Sindri, ruler of the Old World Kingdom, was a quiet man from the north. It was rumoured he was descended from Vikings, yet would not confirm nor deny this fact. He was a big man with long dark auburn hair, and icy cold eyes. He began his conquest in the high north, and quickly spread his territories. Once he had the last kingdom under his control, larger colonies were quick to follow as was the rest of the continent. In the early days of his conquest he controlled the entire continent, but lost his southern territories to Ambrose Sinclair in a game of cards. As the world began stabilizing after the War of Ages, Oskar was heard from less and less. The Old World Kingdom fell behind with the advances in technology and the borders with the Red Dragon District and the Dominion of Free Peoples became hostile. The threat of another war was constant.

            Ambrose Sinclair inherited the Dominion of Free Peoples from his adoptive father who had died of mysterious causes. When he met Oskar Sindri, he convinced the over ambitious and quiet ruler to gamble for territories. Ambrose won, and Oskar believed he had cheated and it had sparked a rivalry ever since. Ambrose was a sly sort of man, sported swampy deep green eyes and kept his short un-naturally light hair slicked back with oil that smelt of a garden in full bloom, but his eyes and hair were contrasted beautifully with his dark sun-kissed skin. Before the purge of the artists, he was a great lover of the arts, having mastered many musical instruments, owning ten major theatres around the globe, as well as several art galleries. He was the one to see reason when it came to the purge. Rumours started that he had saved as much art as he could and hid it in his home in Old Raba. He was the one who saw value in keeping the remains of art in museums. His idea was supported by Itsuki, and in return Ambrose did his best to protect the museums.

            Itsuki Kaede ruled over the Maple Empire which included several islands in the major oceans and the entirety of the south-western hemisphere. Even though he is the eldest of the Five Great Rulers, he still looks as if he is only in his early 30's. Itsuki had lived through more than one century. He began to travel the world in his early 20's. On one of his journeys he found himself shipwrecked on a small unknown island. There he discovered the secret to immortality. He kept the coordinates of the island a secret, but took enough of the elixir to grant immortality to those that would pass his tests. Chen was the first to receive his gift. He had become quite taken with her after she had complete control over her homeland. In those early days there was no quest for world domination. Itsuki had no desire to rule, but that quickly changed when he saw how blood thirsty immortality made Chen, and took over his own homeland to save it from retribution. Ambrose was given the elixir for his desire to protect the people of his region.

            Astra Iseult took care of the rest of the world. Astral Union was small in comparison to the others, but the small size meant she could keep a firm hold over her subjects. No one really knows where she came from, or much about how she gained so much political power, but there was a rumour that Astra Iseult was pure evil. It was Astra with her silky words and beautiful moonlit skin and sultry blue eyes that led the world to turn on art. At first the others would not go along with it, but once Oskar agreed, Chen quickly followed and with Chen's armies, Itsuki and Ambrose had no choice in the matter. Astral Union held the most museums and the most Rehabilitation Schools than any other region. She had tried many times to invade the boarding south-western hemisphere so that she could gain control of the Maple Empire, but something had stopped her Artist Rehabilitation Team from entering. When she wasn't terrorizing her own people, she was visiting Oskar.  She was the only one that Oskar would see after the war ended. After the war, Chen, Ambrose, and Itsuki could see that she could not be trusted.


	4. School's Out Lix

**School’s Out Lix**

            James “Lix” Merritt was born in the Old World Kingdom. He lived his whole life in the Rehabilitation School just outside of New Sindri (the city was once called by another name and at one point was home to Oskar, but when he became allies to Astra, he moved his home back to the far east of the Old World Kingdom). Lix knew nothing outside of the School. When he was a child, he thought he had been born there and that his mother and father had been rehabilitated and sent away. As he grew and more children were sent to the School by their parents, he realized he had had the same fate.

            The Schools were all situated outside of any densely populated areas. They were tall grey buildings in the middle of nowhere with barbed wire fences to keep everyone in. Inside everything was very neutral. The top floors were small rooms holding four bunker beds each. The floor just below the living area was a rather large dining hall. The Students were only allowed two meals a day, but the meals were enough to sustain them and keep them nourished. Under the dining floor, the rest of the building was dedicated to work for the older students and studies for the younger children that either arrived by the hands of the A.R.T or were born there. The ones who were born from the students were closely watched to see if they too were infected by imagination.

            In the beginning of the Schools, artists were subjected to the mundane in hopes to stifle their creativity. When society began to collapse because there was no one to come up with new ideas to either fix the problems of this new society or to come up with new products to keep the masses calm, the Five Great Rulers decided instead to put all that creative energy to good use. Once a product was ready to be mass produced, it was sent to the factories that most normal citizen worked at. The children of the Schools learned basic reading and writing and when they came up with their first idea they were sent to work with the adults.

            Lix was useless when it came to project ideas. He was noisy and the heads of the schools did not care for it one bit. Lix spent most of his days in a quiet room so that he would come up with something of use as he was fast approaching adulthood. He instead used the time he spent alone to meditate on something that stirred deep inside his soul. At first it started with a tap of his finger against the cold steel desk he was made to sit at, then he began to hear that his silent room hosted a leaky pipe behind one of the walls; the white paper on his desk would shift under his arm as he moved, finally a vibration in his throat, noise without words. As he grew older and more skilled when it came to hearing the sounds around him, he began to hum in his sleep. His roommates didn't seem to mind. The nights when he hummed, gave them a small smile and a light in their eyes that had been missing.

In the School there also lived the only woman Lix ever thought of as a mother. “Mama Lisa” was a beautiful old woman with warm dark skin and kind dark eyes, her hair had silvered prematurely due to the stress of her environment, but it added to the authority and love she held for all. She was a mother figure to many of the Students of the Rehabilitation School in New Sindri, and had a daughter of her own only a few years before she was taken by the A.R.T. Lisa had married an older man who was good with numbers, terrible at singing, but loved to hear music anyway. He was one of the last who remembered the old days when music played over the stereos of the car speakers and loved to hear Lisa sing in the privacy of their own home. The happiest moment in their marriage was the birth of their daughter, but it was also the most terrifying. The year Lisa had her daughter; the A.R.T had become more ruthless in their search for artists. Neighbour turned on neighbour and Lisa sang less and less. Lisa’s husband died when their child was four and on the child’s fifth birthday when it was clear she would take after her father and his love for numbers a neighbour who had been watching the family closely called the A.R.T. Lisa was taken from her daughter, and the daughter was sent to a foster family in the Union. Lisa cried for weeks and never forgot about her child. What kept her going was the hope that by raising the children that came to the School that somehow her daughter would grow to become a beautiful, strong, kind and successful woman. She thought of Lix as a son and cared greatly for the man he was becoming.

            “Lix,” she said one day, sitting down with him for breakfast. “I think you are ready to know the secrets of the old underground. Tonight, when everyone is asleep, I will show you,”

            That night Lix could hardly wait. He gripped his grey wool blanket and listened as two of his roommates breaths synced into a steady rhythm. Lisa crept in around midnight and touched his shoulder. He climbed out of bed and winced at the cold concrete floor. He stumbled around in the dark carefully slipping on a pair of soft, warm, shoes and followed Lisa to the back stairs.

           They walked in silence down several flights to the basement. Lix had been down there before to fetch supplies, but had never noticed anything special about it. Lisa took him to the edge of one of the far walls and carefully squeezed between the wall and a stack of old creates. Lix eyed the tiny gap, unsure if his broad shoulders would make it in between, but pressed his back against the smooth white wall and crab-walked in order to follow Lisa.

            It was dark between the wall and the crates, only specks of light found their way through the cracks. Lix reached out in the dark his hand finding a rough gap. He felt for the borders noting that he would have position himself in the centre of the gap, slide his feet back and crouch down in order to get through. He did not, however, expect the set of stairs and as soon as his feet left the first step he found himself painfully meeting with the rest of the stairs.

            When he landed at the bottom, he was sore and he could feel a bruise forming on his chin. He was greeted with a warm light a chuckle. “I did that the first time too,” the voice of Ranger, the oldest man at the school, met his ringing ears. Lix was intimidated by Ranger. His face was weathered from a working hard all his life and the lack of sunshine. He always looked ready for the kill. But in the warm glow of the underground cave they stood in, Lix saw a kind old man, with a warm inviting smile. Ranger led Lix down one of the tunnels and as they walked the cave echoed with a sound Lix had never heard before. He entered a large chamber hidden deep underground filled with many of the older schoolmates sitting at make shift tables laughing and smacking their hands together in a rhythm that matched a group of the oldest schoolmates in the centre of the chamber. They each held instruments that produced the most wonderful sounds Lix had ever heard. A wide smile formed on the young man’s face as he watched the merriment.

            He turned to Ranger and Lisa bursting to the brim with inquisitive thought.

            “It's called music my lad,” Ranger said as he clasped a large hand onto Lix's shoulder. “They have instruments that produce the most wonderful sounds you could imagine,”

            “I've never heard anything like it!” Lix exclaimed. He soon found himself clapping in time with the rhythm. The song ended all too quickly for him and he felt himself mourning the loss of the first piece of music he had ever heard.

            “Well, if it isn't the troublemaker!” One of the players in the centre called out. Lix flashed a grin that would stop a heart if it could.

            “I am no troublemaker Ira Bean!” Lix moved closer to the centre. “Where did you learn how to make that noise?” he asked.

            “The Firsts taught us,” Ira said. “I inherited this trumpet from Old Armstrong,” he played a few notes. Lix watched as the light from the cave glistened off the brass as Ira moved three of fingers. A loud bang that sounded like thunder startled Lix from his awe at the skill Ira possessed. “Oh, stop your showing off Patrick, scare the lad away with that ghastly drum,” Ira scolded. Lix looked at the instrument that was called a “drum” and the man called Patrick. Patrick twirled two sticks around in his fingers and began another little drum solo. As soon as he started playing, Lix could quickly figure out that he was what the others had been clapping too. Patrick smiled. Ranger came over, another instrument strapped around his chest. This instrument had a long skinny neck, a wide bottom and six wires strung across it covering a hole in the centre.

            “Why don't we teach you Lix, you have a good ear for music even if you didn't know it,” He handed Lix an instrument that was similar to his own, except for it had four wires instead of six. Ranger began to show him the basics of music as was taught to him by the First schoolmates. Lix caught on quickly and was a born natural to the deep sound he made as he played with the others. He could hardly believe how good he felt as he played with the other three. The crowd that was there to watch and socialize disappeared into a sea of sound.

            When the other stopped playing, Lix again felt a sense of remorse wishing that the music could go on forever. His fingers began to throb a little on his left hand from pressing so hard on the string. Ranger let out a slight chuckle.

            “I’m surprised you’re able to play so well for a first timer. You know, traditionally, the bass is a lot bigger, but about twenty years ago our last bass broke and all we have left is that.” Ranger said. He took the guitar from around his neck and placed it on a stand before taking Lix’s bass and placing it beside.

            “How do you know all that?” Lix asked as his spirit began to lift again as the cave was filled once more with the sounds of music.

            “Back in the beginning, when the A.R.T first started placing people in the schools, the First Schoolmates found these underground caves. They started to sneak down late at night to freely express how they felt about the Great Five Rulers. A few of them were able to find a way out of the labyrinth just beyond there,” he pointed to another entrance behind the band, “it was an effort to escape and to find a way to make the rest of humanity rebel against our captors, but after getting caught once or twice because of the their vice for the sound, they instead began to sneak out to save their instruments and bring them down here. They wanted to hide them away from the Caretakers who would destroy them before placing them in a museum.

            After a while, the Firsts lost hope of starting a rebellion, but they knew they could keep music alive. When anyone that came here showed musical talent in the smallest way they would teach them. Ira, Lisa and I are the oldest, and it's been getting harder and harder to find new schoolmates to train.”

            “But how is it you've never been caught?” Lix asked. Ranger simply shrugged.

           “The A.R.T don't come down here, in fact it seems they stay away from the cellar altogether. Don’t know why, but I think they can’t stand the sound of music,” Lix opened his mouth to comment, but Ranger hushed him and pointed to the centre of the room. Lisa took her place centre stage, but she held no instrument. She took a deep breath and a slower song began to play. To Lix she sounded a bit like a little bird he once saw out on the grounds as a child. Her voice was soft and slow and made him feel a bit sad. By the time the song ended Lix was trying to dry his eyes with his sleeve. He wasn't in pain and couldn't understand why his heart felt so heavy and his tears wouldn't stop falling. Ranger gave him a smile and ruffled his hair. The old man stood back up to change the mood, the band began a more up-beat tune as Lisa made her way over to where Lix was sitting. She had at her side a dark brown suit case.

            “Honey, I wanted to give you something, but it needs to stay down here until the time comes,” she said.

Lix eagerly peered into the case as she opened it. Inside, folded with great care, was a hooded terracotta leather jacket lined with what looked to be grey wolf fur. She carefully took the jacket out and helped him put it on. The fit was perfect and the hood stayed on his head. Lix had never felt so warm or safe as he was in the winter coat the school provided for him. Glad that the coat fit, her eyes crinkled as she gave him a motherly smile.

            “This coat belonged to your father,” she said. “It will keep you warm on your journey,”

            “Am I going somewhere?” he asked now only half paying attention to her. He was exploring the pockets, pulling out a pair of matching leather gloves and a map. Lisa placed both her hands on his cheeks causing him to look into her warm brown eyes.

            “Far away from here, there is a place called the Maple Empire. When I was a little girl, my father told me stories of Emperor Itsuki. He told me he protects people like us. He lets us live in peace and doesn't force us to work as we do. Lix, you are in danger if you stay here any long. You are almost eighteen and you have not come up with something that the kingdom could use. The world cannot lose your music. There are so few left who know of it. When the time comes, you need to run, find your way to the Maple Empire and live a better life then we have.”

            Lix tensed as she spoke uncomfortable with the strange and vague warning.

            “Mama Lisa, what are you talking about?” he asked, the music no longer lifting his spirits.

            “I can't protect you forever,” she said. She gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead and walked away.


	5. Lix on the Run

**Lix on the Run**

            A few weeks passed since the caves. The School Masters had Lix working in the prototype factory since he had been so subdued. Lisa's warnings left him feeling heavy and confused, and he hadn't had a chance to talk to her since. After exactly one month had passed, Lix was woken by Lisa frantically shaking his shoulders.

            “Lix, I don't have much time,” she whispered hurriedly. Her grip was tight, and he felt that it would leave small bruises. “Tomorrow night as soon as everyone is asleep, go to the caves, take the case I gave you and run. Run away and do not look back. There are enough supplies to last you until you get into the Astral Union. Lix, promise you will not come back to the Old Kingdom.” He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and was shook again. “Promise me!” she hissed.

            He nodded. “Alright Mama Lisa, I promise,” he whispered with a frown.

            She gave him a smile and as she let him go she told him not move from his bed no matter what happened next.  She quickly made her way back to her own bed while he placed his head back down. His heart pounded as he heard their door open. He gripped the sheets as Lisa, and two of the older roommates were violently pulled from their beds and taken from the room. Lix listened to their footsteps marching down the hall, wondering where they were being taken.

            In the morning; Lisa, Ranger, his roommates, and some of the other older schoolmates were missing from the breakfast tables. The younger ones whispered amongst themselves wondering where they were, rumours spreading like wild fire. The adults that had been at the school long enough sat quietly staring at their plates, shaking with fright.

            A sense of doom lingered over Lix the whole day. He was sent to his white work room, but all he could do was pace. He had never been so scared.

            That night, after the lights went out and he figured everyone else was asleep, he quietly made his way downstairs. He was careful to press his chest to the wall and was mindful of the steps to the caves. 

            He listened for the sounds of music.

            All was quiet.

            His heart sank.

            The chamber was lit in anticipation of its patrons, but not a soul, save Lix, was present in the large chamber. He shivered. The cave seemed colder than he remembered it. He searched for the brown case that held the terracotta jacket. When he opened it, he found the case full of supplies, a change of clothing, the map and a letter. He opened the letter and was greeted with Lisa’s familiar handwriting.

            Lix, if you are reading this that means we have been rehabilitated and can no longer be there to protect you. Please follow these instructions carefully:

1) Change your clothes. It is cold out there and I want to keep you warm and safe.

2) The map will lead you right into the city limits of New Sindri. Once you make it outside of the caves there will be a man waiting for you. He is one of the Museum Caretakers. He cannot speak, none of the Caretakers can, but he will take you as far as the Old Kingdom border. You can trust the Caretakers.

3) Stay out of the cities if you can. Once you are in the Astral Union, the danger will be greater and the cities will spread over much larger areas than you can imagine.

4) If you do find yourself in a city, get to the nearest museum and stay there until night fall.

5) Keep heading south until you reach the boarder of the Maple Empire and the Astral Union.

6) Find someone who can make you a Maple Empire I.D., the school there should be able to help you.

7) Once you are in the Maple Empire, get onto a transport ship and head to the capitol. Get as far away from the Astral Union as you can.

Keep warm and well fed. Watch out for the A.R.T. Don’t come back.

            Keep making music Lix,

            Love Mama Lisa.

P.S. If on your travels you find a woman who looks to be the younger version of me and is called Mona. Tell her I love her. Tell her I never stopped loving her.

            He sucked in a breath as he finished reading the letter. He quickly changed from his grey school night clothes into the dark denim trousers and dark grey sweater Lisa had provided him. He kept his black work boots on, but tied them tightly around his ankles. He put the night clothes into the case, closed it and put on his father's jacket. He pulled out the gloves, placed the hood over his messy auburn hair. He flung the case over his shoulder before taking a look at the map to study the markers carefully so he wouldn't get lost.

            The tunnels were hot and lined with old lanterns. They were a bit more complicated than the way they had been drawn on the map. Lix found himself hitting five dead ends before he realized he needed to turn the map in a circle as he walked. After a few hours, he eventually came to set of stairs that were similar to the ones at the school. He bit his lower lip and wiping away the sweat that was forming on his brow he began his climb, hoping these stairs led to the edge of New Sindri and not back up to the school.

            When he emerged, daylight was breaking. Lix's breath formed a nice fog around his face. He shivered as the cold air hit his sweaty brow. He shifted the case to the other shoulder, wincing at the pain in his back from carrying it for too long. Looking around, he wondered which direction to go next. He quickly spotted a small transport truck coming speeding towards him. Lix ducked down amongst the tall grass, wary of who might be driving the truck.

            The truck slowed once it past Lix as if the driver knew he was hiding. There was a small bang and the truck was forced to pull over. Lix watched as a small man wearing all black, from his bowler hat to his shoes hopped out. The man’s hair and skin in contrast to his ensemble were whiter than freshly fallen snow; his eyes were glassy white orbs with small black dots in the centre. Where his mouth should have been were three big black X's. His face was short, and his nose rather large. As Lix made his way closer, the man opened the back of the truck to reveal several large packing crates. A feeling came over Lix that this was the truck he needed to be on, and while the small man began to fix whatever had gone wrong, Lix hopped into the back and hid amongst the cargo. Once he was inside, the man closed the doors, and began moving again as if there had been nothing wrong in the first place.

            The cargo truck felt colder inside than the early morning air. Lix began to shiver and hugged his knees to his chest. He pulled his coat closer to him, silently thanking the animal that the fur had come from and if by the will of that animal, he began to feel instantly warmer.

He strained his eyes to look around the dim cabin at the cargo that surrounded him. Everything was in crates and covered in canvas sheets. He carefully stood up. The truck shifted and he had to steady himself. He wondered why the cargo didn't move with the bump. He pulled off one of the canvas sheets to reveal that the crate was tightly strapped to the side of the cabin. He let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding in glad that there wasn't a risk that he might be crushed if the crates fell.

            He yawned. Tiredness catching up to him from his long night through the tunnels, he made a nest for himself out of the canvas sheet in his hand in the corner and closed his eyes. He hoped the journey wouldn't be a long one.

***

            Lix woke with a start when the truck suddenly came to a halt. He could hear movement outside as the truck was turned off. The driver got out and hit the side of the truck revealing a compartment, big enough for a person to fit inside. Lix quickly hid himself away and had just managed to close the latch when the truck doors swung open. He covered his mouth to keep himself silent as he watched through small holes in the compartment: three A.R.T members climb on board.

            They were huge in comparison to the Caretaker who drove the truck. Their black body armour made them look like Giants. Their eyes were covered by dark visors from their helmets, it was rumoured that they had no eyes, but their sense of smell and hearing were incredible. Like the Caretakers, their mouths were made up of three black X’s, but their faces were rather large and noses small in comparison. The leader of the three made his way into the back of the truck. He picked up the sheets Lix had been using as a bed and began to smell them. Lix silently cursed himself for not putting the sheets back in place before hiding. He motioned for the other two and they made their way over. One of the others picked up Lix's case and dumped its contents on the metal floor. The sudden vibration moved the compartment door a little. Lix carefully grabbed the strap he had used to close the door and held it firmly as the A.R.T went through his personal effects.

            The third A.R.T looked around and began to violently open one of the crates. Packing hay flew around the cargo bin as he dug deeper. He pulled something out and examined it. He threw it to the Caretaker. Lix could see the three X's over the Caretaker's mouth expand into what seemed to be a smile. Lix could not see what the object was, but it made a very strange sound. At first it sounded like a great breath of air being sucked into many tiny lungs about to shout at once. The A.R.T froze as the object let out its mighty breath. The Caretaker’s song in that moment caused the A.R.T to cower in fear. Lix watched as they backed further into the truck, blocking out all light and muffling the sound. There was a horrific sound in the next moment. The A.R.T vanished in a puff of ash and smoke. The music stopped. The Caretaker set his instrument back into the crate and hopped out of the truck. Lix let go off the strap and rolled out of the compartment. His hand landed on the helmet the lead A.R.T had been wearing. He looked fearful at the crate that held the instrument that had just saved him. The truck lurched forward, continuing along the long road ahead.


	6. Kid, meet Lix

**Kid, meet Lix**

            Kid spent many nights after listening to the record. He was disappointed when the Caretaker's finally made a display case for it. He never felt alone until that day. Days and nights were either spent brooding in his room, or in the museum itself, no longer finding joy in the displays he once thought of as friends. The clouds seemed to close in around the museum, isolating Kid further from the rest of the world.

            One day, a few weeks later, a truck arrived with the new items from the Old World Kingdom. Kid watched from his room as they unloaded the cargo. As he wondered what treasures the crates held his spirits began to lift again. He kept his dark eyes fixed on the Caretakers hard at work almost missing someone sneaking out of the truck while their heads were turned. A flash of terracotta was what drew Kid's attention away. A boy, around his age, ran for the side door of the Museum and if the Caretakers noticed him, they didn't let on. Curious to find out whom the stow-away was, Kid dressed himself in a black uniform of a near-by science school the Caretakers had procured for him and headed downstairs.

            The Museum was busier than normal, and Kid had to be careful not to bump into anyone. He knew his uniform was a bit out of date, but the patrons rarely noticed. Every so often, however, Kid would bump into someone who would accuse him of trying to get out of his education and march him out of the Museum. He had ended up at the A.R.T headquarters in Astral City more than once and almost ended up in an orphanage because if it. But, the Caretakers would always come for him and the speaking citizens that worked at the headquarters always seemed confused when they left with Kid.

            He weaved his way through the crowds, and thought once or twice he had caught a glimpse of terracotta at the end of a hall or just around a corner. He was starting to become frustrated with the chase and was about to give up, when there was the boy from the cargo van. He was standing in front of “Jazz: The Evil”, his terracotta coat slung over the case he wore over his shoulder. Kid was glad he caught sight of the boy taking off his coat as the boy's grey sweater seamlessly blended him into the crowed.

            Kid carefully studied the boy as he walked up to him. He had dark auburn hair, broad shoulders, a strong chin and a few freckles on his cheeks. He looked approachable, yet out of place. Kid had never seen someone with such a colour of hair. It reminded him of a full lunar eclipse on a clear night. The boy caught Kid’s reflection in the display case and glanced back at him. They stared at each other. Kid was out of breath from the chase, his uniform’s jacket making him uncomfortably warm. He watched as the boy stared blankly at him. Kid straightened himself up, clearing his throat as he brushed the imaginary dust from the edge of his jacket.

            “I don't know how you managed to sneak into one of our cargo trucks, but you need to pay to be in here,” Kid hadn't meant to sound so rude, but he never knew how to talk to other people. The boy let out a laugh, as if he knew something Kid did not. Kid's eyebrows furrowed together giving him a dark menacing look that would be frightening if his eyes, full of confusion, didn't betray him. The boy looked back at the display the wide smile narrowing a little as he spoke.

            “It is very sad that someone would do that to something so beautiful,” he said. Kid looked at the twisted pieces of metal and thought back to the record player locked away. He didn't know why, but in that moment he wanted to become friends with this strange boy.

            “Who are you?” Kid asked once he was sure of what he wanted.

            “Lix,” the boy replied and held out his hand. Kid took it.

            “What kind of name is Lix?” He asked, sounding a bit rude once more.

            “Just something Mama Lisa always called me,” he smiled at Kid, forgiving the intonation. “What are you called?”

            “Robert,” Kid replied.

            “Robert? That's a boring name,” Lix laughed.

            “It's my real name,” Kid became annoyed and suddenly regretted his decision to befriend the boy.

            “You shouldn't give people your real name. Means they can control you. What is your nickname?”

            “I don't really have a nickname,”

            “Surely the people who take care of you call you something else,”

            “The Caretakers take care of me, and they don't talk,” Kid said. His regret at the meeting grew slightly. Lix seemed to grow bored with the nickname-less boy. Kid clenched his fists. “Well, the speaking adults that work at the A.R.T headquarters all call me “Kid”. Probably because they can never remember my name is Robert,”

            “There you go,” Lix smiled, his light eyes sparkling in the florescent light. He slapped Kid on the shoulder. “I shall call you Kid,” he let out another laugh just as his stomach began to rumble from hunger. “Don't happen to have any food on you?” he asked. Kid looked around the museum wondering if anyone else had noticed the boy in the colourful jacket. He looked back at Lix and nodded.

            “Follow me,” he said. Kid led him back through the museum to the place where he lived.

*

            Kid watched as Lix devoured his meal. He was glad to have some company for a change. He never realized how lonely he was before. Lix sat back once he was full and let out a happy sigh.

            “That was good,” he said.

            “Where do you come from?” Kid asked.

            “New Sindri,” He said. He picked some stray food out of his teeth. “Well, the Rehabilitation School outside of New Sindri,”

            “You're an Artist?” Kid was in awe.

            “I guess,” he said with a shrug. “I'm no good with coming up with ideas to make the world a better place, but Mama Lisa said I was musically talented,”

            “Why did you run away?”

            “Mama Lisa told me to. She said I should head towards the Maple Empire since the laws there are a little more relaxed compared to the Astral Union and the Old Kingdom.” Lix began to tell Kid all about his life. He told him of the Schools, Mama Lisa, the room he spent most of his time in, the underground caves, his big escape and finally his journey. When he started talking about the encounter with the A.R.T, Kid looked on him with admiration. He had come face to face with the A.R.T himself and they always frightened him, but Lix seemed unfazed.

            “They just disappeared?” Kid interrupted. Lix nodded.

            “Yeah, the Caretaker driving the truck just started playing that instrument I was telling you about and there was a horrible sound and they were gone,” Lix gave a little shrug. “I can't really explain it. I didn't even know what was happening.” They sat in silence for a moment, both unsure of what to say. “Well, that's my sad storey, what about you? How did you come to live here?”

            “Well, my parents died and the Caretakers took me in. Well, the one that took me in, I don't really think he was really a Caretaker, he just dressed like one. He could talk and looked nothing like the other Caretakers at all, except maybe his hair from what I can remember. He gave me my name and told me I could live here from now on,” Kid shrugged. He had never really thought much about the Caretaker he had met when he was a little boy, and never questioned why he never saw him again.  “I mean I don't know much of the world outside of this Museum. I've always wanted to know. I've seen the pictures and read the text books, but I wish I could see more,”

            “Why don't you?” Lix began to clean the crumbs from the floor.

            “I'm scared I guess. This is my home, and I'm worried that if I leave I'll never be able to come back.” Lix nodded and another moment of silence passed between them. Kid looked out his window and saw that the sky was growing darker. He could hear the alarm that signalled the close of the Museum. Lix became restless. He wanted to see more of the Museum before he continued on. Kid noticed his new friend's eagerness to move.

            “Once the Caretakers leave I'll give you a proper tour,” he said. “This Museum is the largest in the world,”

*

            Later that night, Kid led Lix around the Museum, pointing out his favourite displays and explaining each one in detail. He left the music section for last, as it was the best part in his opinion.

            “Anything that is intact in this museum is on loan from a private collector or ancient artifacts,” Kid explained. “These cases have the highest security. Only the Caretakers know how to enter them,”

They walked past the Jazz collection. Lix began to look at every square inch of the display.

“There is probably a way in,” he said. He noticed a door hidden away in the back corner. Kid was too busy looking at the shallow desk and was surprised when Lix suddenly grabbed his hand and began to run with him down the hallway, looking for a door that would lead to the back of the museum. Kid tried his best to keep up with Lix and found himself stumbling behind him. Lix looked down every hallway, and turned down every corner.

            Finally they came to a door that looked like it would lead nowhere. Kid doubled over trying to catch his breath. He wasn't used to running around like that and to have it happen twice in one day seemed unreasonable. Lix, meanwhile, looked for a way to open the door. Kid watched him. It was strange that he knew every inch of the Museum, yet he had never once gone down this corridor. The hall just seemed to end and Kid had trouble seeing the door Lix was currently pushing on. The hydraulics that kept the door in place whirred and hissed as the door caved and moved aside to let the boys pass through it.

            The corridor beyond the wall slowly buzzed to life with bright lights. The boys began walking. Periodically, there would be nameplates along the walls. Kid could see a slight crack here and there, and wondered if they were doors leading into the display case.

            “How did you find that door?” Kid asked. Since he was a bit shorter than Lix every once in a while he would fall behind and would have to pick up his speed to catch up.

            “I listened,” he said. “While we were walking around earlier I could hear something behind certain walls. I guessed that there was probably a door or something. Plus there are a lot of random dead ends in this place.” He flashed a smile at Kid and kept walking. Kid just gave him a suspicious glance before he noticed the nameplate for the Jazz display. He went over to where the crack in the wall was and pushed. There was a slight clank and the wall opened. Kid walked in. He was excited to finally be able to touch the strange desk that had been calling to him for so long.

            He walked around it first as he was a little scared to touch it. Lix came over and opened the top of it.

            “Look in here,” he said to Kid.

            Kid carefully lifted himself to look. Inside were columns of tightened strings and at the bottom were felted hammers. Lix lowered the lid carefully. Kid touched what he thought was a desktop. He sat on the bench and with two hands lifted the lid. Halfway open Kid and Lix could see white keys, and as Kid opened the lid further periodic thin black keys were placed in between them. Kid pushed the lid into place, causing the front to open slightly.

            Lix touched one of the keys and a bright sound filled the room. Kid recognized this sound from the record he had heard and wondered if this was the instrument in the recording.

            “I like it,” Lix said. He pressed the key again then pressed another one. He could hear the difference in the notes and pressed a black key. Kid ran his hands over the smooth white keys without pressing down. He closed his eyes. He could feel something inside of him stirring. There that was the key he needed to press first; that something told him. Kid bit his lip and pressed down. As he followed his instinct he was soon playing the intro to “Moanin'”. It wasn't perfect. It was slow and choppy. Not at all like the recording, but Lix was impressed, Kid was surprised.

            “Did you just make that up?” Lix asked. Kid shook his head.

            “A little while ago, the private collector I was telling you about donated this thing called a record player. It was this box and it had a spinning disc and a speaker. Well, the record that it played played this song and it has stuck with me. I'm not playing it very well at all,”

            “Well, it's very uplifting,” Lix said. Kid began to play it again, each time more pleased with how it sounded. Lix sat back, listened, and began to feel homesick. It hadn’t caught up with him that he could never see his friends again until that moment.

            “Come with me to the Maple Empire,” Lix said after a while for his own selfish reasons. Kid stopped playing and stared down at the piano keys. He felt that when Lix left he would feel as empty as when the Caretakers locked away the record player. He slowly began to nod.

            “I think I would like to join you, but I’m scared to,” he whispered. He did not want to feel alone anymore. Lix smiled and placed a hand on his back.

            “This is going to be brilliant, you’ll see.”


	7. The Sanxian Player

**The Sanxian Player**

            The Old World Kingdom and the Red Dragon District were two very opposite places. The strict borders that divided the two had no allowances for trade. If a town sat near the border, it fell to the traditions and rule of the majority of its land mass. The border towns in the Red Dragon District flourished with the latest in technologies and thrived as the rest of the District thrived. The border towns in the Old World Kingdom, however, were impoverished and though they did not struggle for survival they resembled little story book villages. They had all the necessities, the townsfolk lived above their quaint little shops and the children were taught to work their trade, and know their history. The A.R.T frequented the little towns more often than the cities for they did not want to leave the townsfolk to their own devices.

            The Sanxian player was quite and waited patiently in the shadows. She had been perched in the trees of one small boarder town in the Old World Kingdom for hours. She could sense unrest in the air. No one in the little town paid her any attention as they all began to close their little shops and turn in for the night. The girl pulled a flat pluck out of her hair long dark pony tail, holding it expertly in her right hand; she brought her small sanxian to the front ready to strike.

            Her eyes narrowed over her high red and gold collar as the road began to pulse with the marching of six feet. The dark figures of the A.R.T began their nightly patrol of the border. The branch groaned as the Sanxian player shifted in the branch to keep her balance.

            The A.R.T approached.

            The first chord struck; the twang sung out into the night.

            The A.R.T stopped at the sound, drawing their weapons: mechanized guns courtesy of Kingdom factories. The girl jumped from her perch, landing with force on the ground. She stared into the dark helmets of the A.R.T and began her song. Shutters, windows and lights opened at the town awoke to the unfamiliar sound. The A.R.T attacked with a force trying to stop the sound. The guns fired a powerful, but slow pulse. The girl moved with the music, dodging the attacks. She breathed life into every note played, seeming to direct the notes at the A.R.T.

These three seemed to be a little more resilient to her Sanxian than the A.R.T she had met in the District. She began to play faster and with more desperation. Each note responded, and cut through the A.R.T. They disintegrated into dust and smoke as she stuck the last note. No one in the little border town knew what had happened. The Sanxian player escaped into the night, heading towards the Astral Union.


	8. Itsuki and the Elixir

**Itsuki and the Elixir**

            When Itsuki Kaede was a young man, he was very foolish and very arrogant.

            He came from a rich family, and wanted for nothing as a child. His father died when Itsuki was only 20 and left him everything. He took the opportunity and sudden wealth to explore the world. During Itsuki's travels, he met many strange and wonderful people. He learned foreign languages, enjoyed the spirit of other cultures. He travelled by plane, foot, train, car, and boat. He loved the world and all it had to offer. His mother did not approve of his nomadic life as she didn't approve of her. She became very bitter towards him when her husband cut her out of the will entirely. She was left with nothing, and when she tried to contest the will she discovered that her husband knew of her secret affair. Itsuki pitied his mother. He took what he needed for his travels, gave his mother the rest and cut his ties with her.         

            On his third world tour, Itsuki was sailing across the pacific in a little white schooner that he named “Maple”. There was a terrible storm were the waves grew to enormous heights and crashed into the boat knocking it off course. Itsuki couldn't control the boat. As he tried to ride the storm out, he was picked up by the wind and the waves and cast into the ocean. He struggled to keep his head above the waters, trying desperately to survive. He battled with the waves as long as he could before being smashed into the side of his boat. The last thing he remembered was seeing his blood being washed away from the side of his boat.

            He was sure he had died. When he came around, the taste of sand and ocean filled his mouth. He thought it strange that the afterlife was a tropical island. A small monkey, perhaps related to the Emperor Tamarin class – for it had a long black moustache that Itsuki found a bit odd for a monkey that was more of a tangerine in colour and had the face of a squirrel monkey– stared at Itsuki as he began to come to his senses. The little monkey approached with caution, sniffing the air. Itsuki groaned and slowly began to pick himself up off of the beach. The little monkey screeched in surprise and jumped away into the jungle that lay beyond the beach. Itsuki could see the monkey, had a ringed tail and body of a lemur. He found this odd. Sand slid off of him as he carefully sat up. He shivered a coughed as the shock subsided. He had never felt so happy to be alive. He looked around wondering how far away from civilization he really was. He tried his best to brush the remaining sand off his wet clothes and looked to the jungle. Where there was vegetation, he thought, there was fresh water. He stiffly made his way towards the jungle, his tongue feeling vaguely like a cat’s. He decided the best course of action would be to master finding water and food first, then building a shelter and a way to signal passing ships. He could see the little monkey watching him from the trees as he stepped into the Jungle.

            There was a strange sensation as he walked through. He had no idea which way he was heading, yet he felt a pull. He could hear someone calling to him and he wanted to know who it was. Deeper into the Jungle he walked. The little monkey all the while following him. As he walked he began to notice that the vegetation was wrong. It was not the flora he was use to. It seemed ancient, almost as if it predated humans or else exceeded them. He also noticed the fauna was odd. In addition to his monkey friend, strange birds flew through the air and called out in strange bird songs. Lizards and snakes he had never encountered before slithered past him on the ground. He even thought he caught a glimpse of some sort of glowing dear through the brush.

            After what felt like hours of aimless wandering, Itsuki spotted a soft glow in the distance: a pool of water at the heart of the island. He ran towards it, but in his haste he cut his arm in the thicket though he hardly noticed, for his thirst outweighed all other sensations. He collapsed next to the pool and began to drink. A strange thing happened then: as he drank, his stiff and heavy body became lighter. The cut on his arm began to heal. He felt refreshed. Any worry he had about never being found washed away as he drank. He felt that he suddenly had all of eternity to experience.

            The monkey jumped down from his tree and made his way over to Itsuki. The monkey climbed onto his shoulder and pointed towards the waterfall just beyond the pool. Itsuki carefully stood up. The summoning was coming from the waterfall; or rather something behind the fall. The monkey jumped into a tree again as Itsuki made his way into the pool. He was surprised by how warm the waters felt, when it was so cold while he was drinking it.

            He thought he could see something behind the waterfall, hidden deep within he could finally see an object. Itsuki reached in and carefully pulled out a smooth grey stone sphere. The sphere pulsed like a heart beat in his hands. He climbed out of the water towards the edge of the pool. He stopped and looked up at the little monkey. “What do you suppose this is Ousama?” He asked. The monkey dropped down onto his shoulder again as he made his way out of the jungle.

*

            Days past, Ousama, Itsuki's name for the little monkey, would bring Itsuki food as he thought of ways to alert someone to his location, or at least build a new boat. He couldn't explain why he felt that if he decided to sail off the island himself he would make it back alive. After his small shelter was built, he decided the best course of action would be to sail himself off the island. The days were spent in hard labour, but at night he would relax and examine the stone sphere.

            As the days went by, the sphere began to change. On the first day, Itsuki noticed that it wasn’t as smooth as he originally thought as he discovered a small blemish on the surface. He thought he might have dropped it on another stone somehow while he was exiting the pool. The next day, Itsuki noticed that the nick had turned into someone sort of engraving and a swirl of yellow began to appear. As each day past, the engravings appeared and the colour changed from yellow, to red, to blue, back to red back to blue, then yellow again. It was curious sight to be seen and he wanted to examine the sphere further in a lab. Ousama seemed just as curious and would point to each new engraving.

            Weeks past, the boat Itsuki had built was finally ready. He packed away supplies and found ways to store the water from the pool deep in the jungle. He carefully wrapped the ever changing sphere and was ready to cast off.

            “Sayounara, Ousama,” Itsuki said to his little monkey friend. Ousama would have no goodbyes, and instead jumped onto the raft just as Itsuki managed to depart. Ousama gave him a monkey's smile as they set off.

***

            It seemed they had only just set sail when a cruise ship spotted them. They were brought on board with their supplies. The captain, upon learning the identity of Itsuki, gave him an empty suite, toiletries, and a change of clothes. He learned that he had been missing for over three years. The news had shocked him as he felt he had only been on the island a few short months. It puzzled him, but he thought nothing further of it.

            He found the ship itself magnificent, and the people very interesting. The First Class section housed people from very wealthy families, (he recognized some of them and they all told him how happy they were that he was alive and well), political leaders, retired couples, and raffle winners. The lower decks housed middle class families, honeymooners, and couples that had spent years saving for the cruise. Despite the Captain’s warnings against spending too much time on the lower decks, Itsuki found himself enjoying the conversations of the middle class more than those that travelled First Class. Some of the children enjoyed chasing Ousama around the ship. One child in particular loved to hide Ousama from the others and Itsuki found him fascinating. The child was called Kahlid Sinclair. His mother was Moroccan and his father French. Kahlid had all sorts of ideas and dreamed of one day becoming Prime Minister of Morocco. Itsuki found the little dream quite amusing.

            ***

            Itsuki eventually returned home. He and Ousama moved to a quite mountain village in a small quite house and kept to themselves. As the years past, Itsuki noticed he and Ousama were not ageing. He never became sick and any injury he received healed quickly. He had forgotten all about the sphere and the water he brought back from the Island. He had to move from village to village as rumours began to spread that he was some sort of cursed being.

            The end of the century came and went. Still Itsuki found no answers. He reflected on his life: the memory of the Island, the sphere, and the pool of water flooded back into the forefront of his mind. He ran into his room, throwing open a steam trunk he used to keep important things hidden away. He began to toss the contents of the trunk out into his room. Ousama watched from his little tree Itsuki had planted for him in the corner of the room. Eventually, Itsuki found what he had been looking for. The stone sphere from the island. It was set beside a jar full of the water from the Island. The sphere was covered in cracks and nicks and was a hot white. It pulsed in Itsuki's hand, became hot and began to glow. The heat intensified to the point where Itsuki had to drop the sphere or risk being burnt. The sphere shattered as it hit the ground. Itsuki was thrown back by a shock-wave and knocked unconscious.

            He never knew how long he had been out, but when he awoke. The War of Ages had started.


	9. Kid and Lix Set Out

**Kid and Lix Set Out**

            One month had passed since Kid and Lix had left Astral City. They caught rides through most of the Union from the Caretakers who were transferring items from Museum to Museum. Kid explained to Lix about the history he had learned. He told him about how the land was once called “Usa” and according to the records it was once a very rich country, but two cities caused its downfall.

            “If I remember correctly, they were called Nashwood and Hollyville,” Kid said. Lix was fascinated by all the stories Kid knew. Lix only knew about the Old World Kingdom and a legend surrounding its leader.

            They had little trouble in their travels, the Caretakers were able to keep them safe and eventually they arrived in the second largest city in the Astral Union. The Caretaker let the boys out of the truck. The boys sensed a warning to not leave the safety of the Museum. A warning the boys immediately ignored. Lix took off into the grey ally first, Kid following close after him. They made their way to the main street.

            The street was lined with the citizens of the city, watching quietly as three large tankers drove by. The boys wondered what was going on, but the people around them seemed to ignore their questions. Kid was the first to hear someone quietly attempting to gain their attention. He turned to see a young black woman in the doorway of the building behind them trying desperately to beckon them over. Kid pulled Lix away from the man he was trying to talk to.

            “Whatcha kids doin' out here disturbing the peace?” the woman said. Lix noticed something familiar about the way the woman held herself proudly. She had her hair pulled back into a glorious bushy mass of hair and her eyes held a kindness Lix recognized, but he did not know why. “Come on in before those nasty A.R.T folk find you,” She pushed the boys into the doorway looking quickly around. She made her way past and led the boys to a cellar door and walked down. Lix followed, but Kid seemed very unsure.

            The cellar they entered was crowded with people hunched over a table. The woman that had brought them in pushed them further into the room. The conversation at the table was hushed, and the boys needed to lean in to hear it.

            “The truth is, the situation in this region is getting worse and worse,” a man at the head of the table said. He pressed his fingers on a map of the Astral Union. “We need to take out these schools and destroy the museums!” There was much agreement from the others in the room.

            “I think we should attack Astral City first,” another man said point to a star on the map.

            “That place has more A.R.T crawling around it then anywhere else in the Five Regions,” The woman said, taking her place beside the man that just spoke. “We wouldn't stand a chance against them,”

           “And why attack the museums? Aren't they just there to try and scare the population?” someone else piped up.

            “They're there to keep us trapped,” the man said. “We're slaves as long as those Museums are there,”

            “Those Museums hold artifacts to Earth's past,” Kid said louder than he meant to. All the talk of destroying the Museums made him angry. He thought back to the record player and the piano, he thought of how the Caretakers had kept him safe. “The Caretakers have nothing to do with the A.R.T!” Everyone in the room stared at him. The man at the head of the table straightened and glared slightly at the boys.

            “Who the hell are you?” he towered over the others in the room, his head only barely missing the ceiling of the basement.

            “Name's Lix,” Lix made his way over to the man. He held out his hand in friendship, trying to ease the sudden tension build up. “Don't mind Kid, he grew up in a Museum,” the man just stared down at him.

            “My name is Robert,” Kid snapped as he went to retrieve Lix from the giant of a man. The woman who had brought them in from the street chuckled a little and the others seemed to relax, but the man continued to stare at the boys, sizing them up.

            “What are you boys doing here?” he finally asked. They looked at each other. Lix decided to go into a detailed explanation of how he escaped the Rehabilitation School in New Sindri and was on his way to the Maple Empire with Kid. Kid added in they were suppose to stay with the Caretakers at the Museum, but since he had never seen another city in his life, they wanted to explore. The men in the room listened and stole glances from each other as the boys told their story. The women came over and touched the man’s arm. The man shrugged it off and took a step towards them.

            “Kid if you knew about Earths past, you wouldn't be so quick to defend those monsters,” he said. “The Caretakers appeared the same time as the A.R.T did. It was the same time the wars began to break out, and the Five began to revert to a past of taking advantage of the weak. It started here in the Astral Union. Do you know what they called this place before?” he let out a snort as the boys remained silent. “This was a great country once, and just getting back on its feet before they showed up. We need to take it back!” he slammed his fist down on the table. Kid jumped at the sudden noise. The others began to nod and rile up in agreement.

            “Surely it's not as bad here as it is in Owk,” Lix said through the din. “When I was in the school in New Sindri, we would sometimes have Schoolmates join us from the continent. They say it is almost as if the whole region has fallen into a deep sleep.”

            “It is worse here boy,” a man said. “Here the people are awake and afraid. The sky is grey, but it never rains. If hunger doesn't find you, the fear will. The A.R.T are ruthless and will come in the middle of the night. Your schools are meant to keep things running, ours are asylums. They are designed to torture and create more monsters. They target those who have seen the works of old and rip from them their memories of a happier time. The Caretakers need to be stopped before the send anymore to hell.” The others agreed and began arguing once more of where they should strike first. Kid looked at Lix and slowly backed away from the table. It seemed no one paid them anymore attention as they slowly made their way back to the stairs to escape the chatter of the plans to destroy the Museums and the Schools. The woman followed them.

            “Look,” she said. “All of us have been hurt deeply by those monsters. When I was a little girl I was taken from my mother, I just want her back, but I don’t know where she is.”

            “That doesn’t give you the right to destroy the museums,” Kid said. Her kind eyes turned harsh.

            “I suggest you keep on your way and not return to the museum,” she said before sending them out of the back door and away from the main street.

*

            It was nightfall before they found their way back to the Museum of Film. Kid had to convince Lix to hide his terracotta coat before anyone saw them. The Caretakers waited for them. Kid could feel a sense of urgency as they closed in. They were ushered inside and Kid noticed the Caretakers seemed to be in a panic. Lix felt it too as they were moved towards the back offices. They were taken upstairs where their things had been placed, but remained unpacked.

            “I don’t understand,” Kid said as the door closed behind them.

            “What is there to understand?” Lix asked as he threw himself onto one of the beds in the room. “We stay here until they come get us, and honestly I think the sooner we get out of this place the better,”

            “That's what I mean; you only think that because they want you to think that,”

            Lix stared at him blankly not understanding what he meant.

            “It's the way the Caretakers communicate,” he explained. “It's a kind of telepathy. They don't speak, but you suddenly you know a bit of information about a display, or you suddenly just have a feeling that you know what you have to do, and they don't need to be close by either they can leave their thoughts on objects.”

            Lix just blinked still not understanding. Kid sighed.

            “For example, when I showed you the record player, I didn't know what it was called until the Caretakers returned to the Museum the next day, but somehow I knew how to use it because they knew how to use it and when they touched it and left for the evening I touched it suddenly I knew that same information.” Kid watched for him to understand, sighed in defeat, sat down on the other bed and muttered quickly, “Never mind.”

            Lix shrugged and let out a yawn. The beds in the museums were more comfortable then the bunk he slept on at the School. He let his eyes drift shut, forgetting all about the angry citizens lost in the basement. His mind floated back towards Mama Lisa, Ranger, Patrick, and everyone else at the School. He wondered how they were, and if anyone had noticed he was missing yet. He was thankful no one had come after him, but the more he thought about it how easy it had been to leave, the more concerned he became. Surely someone would have noticed that he was missing by now. As these thoughts began to swirl around in his mind, he began to dream.

            In his dream he was walking through a forest. He could see something through the trees, but couldn't quite tell what it was. It called to him in that sad song Mama Lisa had sang in the caves. He could feel a heat rising against his back, and smoke began to fill his lungs. The song turned into shouting.

            He sat up in a panic, Kid standing over him. “We need to get out of here,” he said urgently. Lix blinked up at him wondering why the usual pale blue tinge from the lights looked so orange and dark. As his brain began to focus he realized the shouting from his dream was coming from outside. Kid was looking out the window as a mob approached the front of the Museum. Lix rubbed his eyes and looked too.

            “Are those the people from earlier?” he asked. Kid nodded.

            “It's not them I'm worried about,” he said. “I've never seen that many A.R.T members before,” he pointed to the group in black beginning to surround the mob. They were pushing them from behind, causing the mob to head up the steps of the Museum instead of protecting it.

            The door to the room opened, and the two immediately knew they had no more time to watch what was going on below. They needed to get onto the roof before the flames from the riot below reached the doors of the Museum. Lix threw on his jacket and grabbed the bags while Kid led the way. There was a Caretaker waiting at the end of the hallway for them holding open the door to the roof access. They ran through the door and bounded up the stairs as quickly as possible. They could smell the smoke begging to consume the Museum. As they reached the heavy door leading to the roof, the fire alarms buzzed in panic.

            Outside a small airship with the emblem of the Dominion of Free Peoples waited to take them to safety. Kid looked back to see if the Caretakers were on their way, but something inside told him they were not. The two boys jumped into the open door of the airship and it took off with speed.

            As the two looked down at the museum they could see the A.R.T pushing the last of the mob inside the building as black smoke broke through the broken windows of the Museum of Film.


	10. Astra's Control

**Astra's Control**

            The border between the Astral Union and the Maple Empire was in sight as the airship made its decent. Kid tried to block the memory of the Caretakers and citizens being burnt alive in the Museum of Film. Even though they had made it out before the flames and the smoke became too intense, Kid felt the toxic smell of burning film strips still clung to their clothes, keeping his memories fresh.

            Kid had many encounters with the A.R.T in the past, but had never seen them act so violently. He thought they were there to enforce Astra's laws, not burn people alive. He couldn't wait to escape from the Astral Union now. He knew he was no longer safe. The time they spent travelling from city to city, they couldn't help but feel uneasy about what Astra Iseult had planned for the A.R.T.

***

            While Lix was escaping from School, Astra was making her annual visit to Oskar Sindri in Norwelk. His estate palace loomed sleepily in the snowy capital and Astra was greeted with the usual silence of the mountain surroundings. Even the city was still and quiet as her armoured limo passed the time frozen houses. Astra liked the silence. It was a good change from the noise of constantly watching her region scramble to start one revolution or another. She was growing weary of it, but keeping Oskar's territory in check and her subjects docile took all the strength she had. She craved the silence of The Old World Kingdom. The silence she had created.

            The gates to the palace opened as her carriage approached. She smiled at a memory long since past; when she was much younger. Oskar's dead-eyed staff waited for her. They moved through the motions of greeting, and making space for the A.R.T that travelled with her. They did not flinch at the intimidating appearance of Astra and her entourage.

            Astra stepped out of the limo with the grace of a Queen. In her mind she was young and being presented to society once again. She looked at her helmeted troops.

            “You might as well enjoy the fresh mountain air as well,” she said quietly to them. Her voice was light as if it needed to be carried by the wind to hear it. “You may remove your helmets for the remainder of our visit.” She turned back to the entrance as her A.R.T removed their helmets to reveal the same dead-eyed faces as Oskar's staff.

            Astra immediately walked into the sitting room, where Oskar always sat by the fire place. He did not acknowledge Astra's presence. Instead he sat frozen, starring deeply into the fire that glowed faintly purple. If it wasn't for the subtle up and down of his chest, any on looker would think he had died. Astra smiled as she sat beside him.

            “Still here Oskar,” she whispered. “I'm glad your staff haven't forgotten you,” she made the motions of giggling, but no sound came out. “I was worried you would get dusty,” she brushed his shoulder with her hand then looked around the room. “I love that it is so quiet here. I'm glad you saw it my way and rid the place of that screaming thing of yours,” She stood and lifted a picture of Oskar and a baby. “He would be 18 today,” she said. “My how time does fly.” She let out a yawn. “I’m heading to bed now Oskar,” she smiled. “Please, don’t get up on my account,” again, she made the motions of laughter, but no sound came out as she walked out of the room and up to her quiet bedroom to regain her strength.

            Oskar kept staring into the purple flames, frozen. His eyes, however, flickered back and forth unaware of Astra, unaware of the quiet of his Kingdom, and unaware he was only dreaming.

*

            Astra spent most of her time at the palace sleeping and reading reports from across both the Astral Union and the Old World Kingdom. She was very aware that the farthest out reaches of the Old World Kingdom were not as affected by the spell as the citizens of Norwelk were. She was becoming increasingly pleased with herself that the Old World Kingdom seemed willing to keep the status quo until she read a report about someone escaping a school in New Sindri. The description of the boy made her look twice at the report. She summoned one of her A.R.T.

            “I don't care what it takes, this boy needs to be found and returned to New Sindri where he will go through Rehabilitation.” She threw the report at him. He caught it without flinching. His dead eyes panned over to another stack of reports. The air crackled around Astra. “Why was I not informed of this earlier? How was he sighted multiple times and no one thought to grab him?” Her fair skin began to cake as she grew angrier by the second. She took a deep breath to calm herself. “Tell your brothers at home they must do whatever it takes to eliminate this boy, and his accomplices.”

            An eerie misplaced smile crept onto the face of the A.R.T. He understood what needed to be done. He turned, placing his helmet back on his head and leaving the room.

            Astra glided over to the window and opened it. She needed the fresh air and silence to clear her mind. A breeze swept over her face carrying on it a single sound: the twang and percussion of bone hitting finely tuned strings and taught skin. Her eyes snapped open as she listened. The silence was not broken again, but it had left Astra shaken.

            Downstairs in the sitting room, Oskar's finger twitched as the breeze from Astra's room carried the sound down to surround him, but the movement was fleeting and Oskar remained in his dream.

***

            Astra was restless for the remainder of her stay. The noise that had broken through and the news of the escaped Schoolmate had left her uneasy. She had ordered her A.R.T to put their helmets back on and patrol the border towns. Only the ones sent south to the Dominion of Free People had returned, and this concerned Astra even more. She had to cut her trip short and return to the Union. She muttered to herself as she packed. She felt she had grown too lenient with the other three leaders. She was becoming tired of waiting for them to bow to her every wish. She needed to come up with a plan to expand her territory. The dead-eyed servants gathered her luggage and guided her down to where her limo was waiting. She climbed in and looked at the A.R.T that sat with her. He held out a file.

            “So, he's heading for the Museum of Film?” she smiled. “Perfect. I want you to send a message to your brothers, have a little parade that will get our foolish revolutionaries to act. We've already planted a hate in those pathetic fools. We need them to attack the Museum. This will be a perfect opportunity to rid ourselves of a few problems.” She looked out the window. “Do what it takes, to bring silence to our region.”

            He gave a slow nod as the limo jerked forward to take them back to the airport. Astra pulled out a mirror to examine her face. The stress was weathering her skin. She closed her eyes to calm herself. The cracks that had begun to form filled in; her cheeks became rosy and her hair glossy. She kept her thoughts filled with plans of domination and wondered who should feel her wrath first. There would be time enough for that, she thought, when she returned home.


	11. Just In Sight

**Just In Sight**

            The aircraft landed while it was still within Astral Union Airspace. A border city and controlled airport stopped the craft from going any further as the port was willing to shoot the craft down if it entered into the Maple Empire. Here the A.R.T had been replaced with real soldiers on both sides to keep the Union from crossing over into Empire territory.

            Kid first noticed the great difference in temperature. It was hot and humid; very different from the nuclear winter environment that made his golden skin only slightly lighter. The second thing he noticed was the sun shining brightly and the vibrant colours of the plant life. Even the buildings had a bit more colour to them, but the people looked miserable. They were as mundane as anyone else with in the Union: any spice for life had left them long ago. He felt lost and out of place in this new part of the Union. For the first time he realized how far away from home he truly was, and that scared him.

            “We need passports,” Lix said. “And supplies,” he checked his bag noticing they were beginning to run a little low. Kid nodded in agreement and checked his own bag.

            “Where do we go first?” Kid asked.

            “That is an excellent question, my friend,” Lix said throwing an arm around Kid. Kid looked at him. He was slightly uncomfortable with the contact, but allowed the arm to remain as a sign of trust. He was becoming use to Lix's sudden bursts of touching and he was glad for once to have made non-threatening human contact.

            As they began to walk through the border town, Kid finally had time to think about his new friend. It had been over a month since he had first seen the flash of terracotta dashing out from the delivery truck, and since then it has been non-stop travelling for the two of them. In the last month they hadn't found much time to talk. When they went from museum to museum they were stored away in separate crates and when they stopped they remained quiet and in the confines of the Museums as a safety measure. Kid wasn't clear what had compelled them to explore the last city. He wondered if it had been that Lix was starved for human connection and Kid, not wanting to return to his own life alone followed him.

            They wandered into the core of the town. Here it was buzzing with a little more activity as vendors were selling the latest in food technology – Try the new beige flavoured meat! 1000% higher in protein then the leading grey flavoured meat! - There were some clothes stands as well, all selling the same grey, black, and white uniforms, only these were made in a lighter material than the ones in the Northern part of the Union. Kid pulled away from Lix to walk over to a stand. He pulled out the credit card the Caretakers had given him, and bought a few new clothes to change into. The heat was starting to get to him and Lix's hair turned darker as it began to stick to his neck and forehead. They found a public washroom to change in, welcoming what little cool breeze made contact with their sweat drenched skin. The clothes felt better and cooled them off as they began to move around.

            They walked back out into the sun, Lix smiled and stretched before placing his jacket safely in his bag. A group of young kids their age walked passed and made whispered comments behind their hands about how good looking they found the two boys. Lix gave them a wink when they looked back, and Kid merely ignored them, instead he searched for a supply stand.

            “This place is more relaxed,” Lix said as they continued down the street. “Reminds me of home, only sunnier, and hotter” he was looking around taking in the sights. “We should probably find a map,” Kid nodded in agreement as they continued along.

            Over the crest of a hill on the outskirts of town, white puffs of smoke curled up into the sky and met with the clouds. As the two turned the corner of the street they were walking, Lix pointed it out.

            “There must be a School nearby,” he said. “We can probably find someone to make us Maple Empire IDs there.” Kid agreed that this would be a better course of action than try to sneak past the human patrol. He noted that the men and women looked bored and trigger happy. The two headed in the direction of curling smoke, and as they headed further away from the town's centre, the lifelessness that they first witnessed appeared once more. In the heat, Kid felt that they had walked for hours, and he wished for some form of rain to burst from the clouds forming above them. Their new clothes clung as they continued along the greying streets.

            As they ascended over the hill they could see the compound of the school and factory. A truck drove past them and entered the heavily guarded compound. Kid looked over to Lix.

            “Do you have a plan to get us in and out?” he asked. Lix shook his head and made his way toward a less guarded part of the compound. Kid followed nervously behind him.

***

            As they attempted to break into the School, the A.R.T were arriving in the little border town. They had received a report from the local guards that a Union plane had landed carrying two boys, one of which matched the description of the boy they were looking for. Some A.R.T searched the town with the guards, while the others headed towards the School. The truck rolled ominously through the streets, it ascended the hill rolling past two young men.

            Since the driver was paid only to drive, he did not notice that the young men were Kid and Lix.

            The A.R.T. grew restless as they entered the School's compound. The energy of these artists made them twitch and shiver. They had no choice, but to follow Astra's orders. The truck rolled to a stop and the A.R.T clambered out. One team entered the School, while another began to search the compound. They could sense the boys nearby, and they were going to find them at any cost.

***

            Lix found a hole in the fence, just barely big enough for Kid to get through. “You go through,” he said. “I'll climb over top,”

            Kid gave a nervous nod and, like a small mouse made his way through the hole. Once he was on the other side, Lix began to scale the fence. It was difficult as he had never climbed a fence before, and once he reached the top he suddenly felt like he wouldn't be able to get down. He stayed at the top for a moment surveying the grounds; he didn’t want to look down at the drop just yet.

            “Hurry up,” Kid called up. “We’re going to get caught.” Lix gave a nervous little laugh and carefully turned around trying desperately not to fall. His hands were slippery with sweat and as he made his way down he lost his grip. Kid hadn’t been paying attention and the next thing he knew he was meeting the ground with the weight of Lix on his back. Lix made a noise before rolling off of Kid, while Kid just groaned in pain. They stayed in the grass a few moments longer, trying to regain their ability to move. A noise caused them both to snap their heads up and look towards the building. Someone was moving towards them. They didn’t have a gun, and they were wearing the same clothes Lix was use to wearing. The person was young with short hair, tanned skin, and feminine features. They stopped in front of the two and kneeled down.

            “I have never seen someone try and break in to this hell-hole before,” the voice was mid-range and sounded more masculine. Lix laughed and sat up.

            “Breaking out is just as fun,” Lix said, flashing the person a warm smile.

            “You’re cute,” the person said. “I’m Nora, but I prefer to be called Noah,”

            “Well Noah, it’s wonderful to meet such a beautifully handsome person such as yourself,” Lix shook Noah’s hand, still smiling. Kid just watched the exchanged, fascinated with how taken Noah seemed to be with Lix. “Say, Noah” Lix said as he stood up and began to dust himself off. “My friend here and I are looking for Maple Empire I.D.s. You wouldn’t happen to know anyone who can make them for us?”

            “Forging I.D.s? Hmmm that’s a bit complicated, I know someone who can do it, but I don’t know if she knows what the new I.D.s look like.” Noah looked at the two. “Come on, let’s get inside and I’ll take you to my sister.” The three headed towards the building. Noah had no idea that the A.R.T were searching the place.


	12. Who Cares if They Have Guns?

**Who Cares if They Have Guns?**

The Sanxian player made her way through the Old World Kingdom, playing her music and destroying the A.R.T as she went. Slowly the towns she visited began to wake up, confused and scared. It didn’t take her long to enter the Union as one region melted into the next as if the borders of the Astral Union and the Old World Kingdom were an illusion. She was a ghost on the wind as she made her way to Astra City. She was determined to find Astra. She arrived to a city on lock down. A.R.T crawled through the city like an infestation of rats. It was impossible for her to get close to Astra’s brilliantly white mansion.

She found a place where the A.R.T didn’t go and waited until she could figure out a plan. Her shoulder sank in defeat. She had traveled so far only to be stopped at the end. A Caretaker came out of the building she was leaning against. He beckoned her inside. She followed without hesitation. The Caretaker held out his long hands for the sanxian on her back. She carefully took it off and handed it over. The Caretaker took it over to a workbench and two others joined him. The Sanxian player sighed and undid the collar to her tunic revealing a red mask with a black character on it. On the left side of the character was a long rectangle, the right was made up of two trees on top of two horizontal lines with a hook flanked by two more diagonal lines. It meant “silent”.

The Caretakers carefully restored the sanxian while she waited. They put new varnish on the wood, cleaned the skin of the drum, and restrung the strings. The pluck was polished so it shined and the strap was replaced with a beautiful piece of leather. The instrument looked brand new, and sounded more powerful than before. The player had fallen asleep while she waited, but was woken up once they were finished. They gave her back the sanxian and a small bag. She bowed slightly before returning the sanxian to her back, the pluck back into her long black hair, and the small bag around her waist. She turned to leave, but the Caretakers stopped her. They pointed to the stairwell and led her up to the roof. There was a small Dominion plane waiting for her.

She looked at the Caretakers, then at the plane. They nudged her forward letting her know it was safe. She gave them a determined nod, refastened her collar and boarded the plane. Astra would have to wait for now.

***

The boys followed Noah through the School. They felt the tension the A.R.T brought with them. Noah led them to a room much like the room that Lix had spent so much time in. Inside was a young girl with long hair and masculine features. She looked up from her paper and pen giving the two a similar smile to Noah’s.

“Who is this?” the girl asked her brother.

“Nora, these are the boys we saw climbing the fence earlier, boys, this is my sister Nora”

“Pleasure,” Kid and Lix nodded.

“They’re cute Noah,” Nora said setting her pen down and standing up. “But what are they doing here?”

“They need Maple Empire ID’s” Noah explained. Nora began to walk around the boys, sizing them up as she did. She hoed and hummed, as if the task asked of her was a bothersome request, but when she came to face them again, she gave a big identical smile to that of her brother’s.

“Noah, you know me too well,” she laughed and returned to her desk clearing away her papers and digging around her desk to find what she needed. She pulled out a small camera, two passport books and various brushes.

Since the war, the technology once available for border security became corrupted and easily manipulated. In towns that bordered two regions, people rather than machines were relied upon to be able to tell the difference between real and fake identification and often times the people in charge would over look any imperfections.

But Nora was a master of forgery, and she was proud of it.

Having never taken a picture before, both Kid and Lix had to take several photos before achieving the best one (most of them ended up with their eyes half-shut in mid blink).

Noah would leave every so often to make sure they would not be interrupted while Nora did her best to work quickly on the I.Ds. Lix moved around impatiently. The lay-out of the small room, made him anxious as reminders of his own time at School came flooding back. He began to hum the up-beat song he first heard in the cave, trying his best to remember how the tune went. The fingers on his right hand twitched to movement of the base line of the song. Kid sat on the ground, his mind wandering back to the image of the A.R.T locking all those protestors in.

Nora stretched after placing the finishing touches on the I.Ds when Noah burst through the door.

“They’re coming! You guys have to hide! Now!” he whispered quickly.

Kid scrambled to his feet. Nora quickly handed Lix the I.Ds while Noah helped to clean off the work table. Kid and Lix frantically looked for a place to hide, only to find the only way out was up. Once the items used for the ID’s were put away, Noah left the room in order to give the boys sometime to make their way into the service vent in the ceiling.

Since Nora was the same height as Lix, the two held their hands in order to boost Kid up. Kid quickly pushed the hatch to the side and hoisted himself into the service vent. They could hear Noah down the hall trying to stall the School Masters and the A.R.T. Kid questioned whether or not the service vent would hold Lix as well, but reached down to help pull him up.

The vent creaked as Lix settled and closed the hatch. The boys looked at each other silently agreeing not to move in case the vent gave out. Instead the waited and listened as the School Masters, Noah, and the A.R.T entered the room.

“Noah, where are they?” one voice, gruff and low, floated into the vent above.

“I’m Nora,” Nora protested.

“She is right,” another, softer voice said. “This one is Noah,”

“I apologize Nora, but please tell me where the outsiders are. They were see entering in here,”

“I don’t know what are you talking about,” Nora with a defiant tone. Lix quickly grabbed his ears as there was a suddenly scuffle from below. Nora and Noah let out a shout as they were dragged from the room. Kid stiffened and glanced at Lix who seemed to be in pain. He reached his hand across the panel to grab his arm. Lix seemed to not notice. The vent creaked again as the door to the room banged shut then bounced open once more. Lix let out a breath as the sudden pain in his head began to subside.

The two waited and listened for a few more moments Kid carefully opened the hatch and looked down. The room was empty.

“I think we’re alone now,” Kid whispered. “Are you alright, Lix?”

Lix nodded and grabbed Kid’s arms to try and gracefully lower himself down. He still wasn’t over the terrifying fall from the fence and as he started to slip down he managed to fall to the ground pulling Kid down with him.  The vent cracked as Kid was pulled from it making a horrendously loud noise. The two did not have time to groan in pain as they could hear footsteps running back towards the room. They ran to the door and made their way back the way they had come, but now they were being chased by the A.R.T.

They flew down a flight of stairs to get outside, running right past a group of human soldiers. At first they didn’t notice the two boys, but when they saw the horde of A.R.T running towards them, they turned back to run after the boys. Kid and Lix broke into a sprint towards the front gate which was still wide open from when the A.R.T had entered the compound. The human soldiers received a signal to shoot. They hesitated, never having to shoot at anyone before. Their aim was thankfully shaky and their bullets ricocheted off the ground.

Kid made it through the gate first and was halfway up the hill when he realized Lix was falling behind. He doubled back, and took Lix’s hand to help him along. They did not want to take their chances of hurting any of the unknowing civilians and made for the thick jungle forest. The humans stopped in their pursuit, but the A.R.T persisted.

***

The aircraft that held the sanxian player landed just outside of a small, humid border village in the south of the Astral Union. As soon as she exited, the pilot took off once more leaving her alone. Her red tunic stood out against the green of the trees and the dullness of the buildings. She removed her jacket to bare her long tanned arms. Her long black hair glistened in the harsh sunlight. She ran her fingers through her ponytail removing what had become caught in the high collar of her tunic.

She could sense a disturbance in the frequency of the air around her. Suddenly the sounds of gunfire filled the stifling humidity. Shifting her sanxian, she took flight by the force of the wind towards the volley. She kept close to the tree line and when she saw two young men sprinting towards her, she took refuge in the nearest and lowest tree.

She watched with narrowed eyes as the A.R.T hunting the boys gained on them. She swiftly positioned her sanxian and pluck. As soon as the boys ran past the tree, she jumped down to strike the first chord. Her fingers moved unnaturally fast as she played intensely. The A.R.T slid to a stop, their dark helmets reflected the sun as they tilted their heads. The boys also stopped and turned to face the music.

The A.R.T took a step towards her, the first one disintegrating from the sound waves. Another pulled out a weapon and aimed. The sanxian player noticed and gracefully moved out of the way, directing the song towards her attacker.

The boys watched in awe of her skill, admiring the pluck of the strings.

Another shot was fired, another A.R.T succumbed to dust.

The leader stopped another from attacking sending a signal to retreat. The others began their withdrawal, the sanxian player ended her song. She kept ready to strike staring down the leader. A gentle breeze pushed her hair to the left as the leader turned and followed the others. She waited a moment longer before grabbing her jacket from the branch.

She walked towards Kid and Lix who were still staring in awe. She looked at each one momentarily before continuing on into the depths of the jungle forest. Kid and Lix looked at each other, silently agreeing that they were safer with the sanxian player than without her.


	13. Empire Sleeps Alone

**Empire Sleeps Alone**

Once an unsteady peace had settled over the world, Itsuki spent half his time keeping up appearances of an Empire, and the other half trying to reestablish the old countries. The Ministers of each area governed how they saw fit and kept Itsuki informed of any activity from the Astral Union.

While Kid and Lix were running from the A.R.T into the jungle, Itsuki looked out from his high balcony into the serene garden below. The sun had just risen and had not yet had a chance to warm the balcony, but he did not mind the cold stone on his bare feet, or the cool breeze caressing his exposed chest. It kept his mind from wandering too much. He watched as Ousama jumped from tree to tree, grabbing any fruit that was too ripe to eat, but was perfect for storing in the trunks of the trees to ferment. Itsuki found his companion’s desire to ferment fallen fruit amusing. This made the garden smell even more fragrant in the cool morning air. He found the smell comforting and nostalgic in a strange sort of way.

Everything was at peace in his garden. A monument to the art of flower arranging, the garden was a balance of nature and an homage to the country. The fruit trees he had planted had grown tall over the years, the stream that cut through to a small brook and eventually a pond was carefully tended to. The grass was kept short, and the moss allowed to grown on the rocks scattered about. The walls that enclosed his garden were covered in vines that would go from the lushest shades of green to the fieriest shades of orange over the course of a year. In the centre of his garden was his most prize possession: a beautiful maple tree whose leaves were the richest shade of purple in fall.  He felt at ease staring out at the intricacies of time.

His moment of peace, however, was interrupted as his tablet began to chime on his small breakfast table in his room. He let out a soft sigh and turned away from his little paradise. He tapped the call answer button and headed towards his wardrobe to begin getting dressed. He was surprised his secretary left him alone for as long as he did, the man believed that men who were in charge of large corporations should never rest. Itsuki never had the heart to tell him that he did not run a business, but a ruse of an Empire. Ousama, having seen his friend leave the balcony climbed up the side of the building to come back inside as well. While Itsuki was getting ready, he grabbed some food off the table and began to eat.

“Sir, President Chen is in the lobby,” the secretary announced. There was a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Itsuki felt his cheeks flush at the mention of Chen’s name. He felt a great attraction to her, but after she rejected him once he respected her wishes and did not pursue her any further. Instead he was content with the friendship that had formed between them despite the history of their ancestors. Itsuki knew what his ancestors had done could never be forgiven, but it was his job to make sure nothing like that would ever happen again. Chen still held resentment, but understood that the past could not be changed.

“I will be down momentarily, show her to the parlour and offer her refreshments,” he responded. He quickened his pace to get ready.

*

Chen had remained standing as she waited. The parlour was void of any decoration, except for the antique damask pattern of the twin sofas sitting on either side of a high coffee table full of an assortment of fruits and other foods and a little house in a tree growing in the corner of the room. She was watching a news report displayed on the wall. Itsuki looked at her for a moment through a crack in the door before fully entering the room. Ousama went straight to the little house he had made for himself in the tree.

“You’ve cut your hair,” he said in her language as a form of greeting.

Indeed, Chen who usually wore her hair long, now sported a sleek short bob. She shrugged her shoulders as she was constantly changing her look. It was her only form of expression in an expressionless world. Itsuki took note of how well her lilac blouse suited her, making her skin look a beautiful shade of gold. Her pants were dark and high waisted with lilac pinstripes. He felt stiff in his two piece black pantsuit and tie.

“Do you never tire of watching weather reports?” She replied.

“Well, I have my pleasures of privilege on those nights I feel nostalgic,” Itsuki admitted and sat on one of the sofas before pouring two cups of tea. Chen looked at him for a moment before sitting across from him. She took the cup of tea and had a few sips before setting it down on the table.

“You need to teach your spies better hiding techniques,” she said.

“Who says I have spies in Hong Long?” he asked calling the Red Dragon District by its proper name.

“Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking they belonged to you,” she eyed him suspiciously.

“Rest assured Chen, I respect you too much to send spies into your District. Tourists maybe that like to keep me informed, but never spies.” he joked.

Chen let out a rich laugh loosing up a little. She picked her tea up and began to sip at it. She looked back at the weather report.

“So have you only come here to see if I am spying on you?” he asked still watching her.

“No, I have information you may be interested in,”

“By all means, do not let me keep you from telling me,”

“I have heard reports of a few of the old countries that border Hong Long have been active again. It seems that whatever has been keeping the Old World quiet is losing its hold.” she looked backed at Itsuki. He shifted to show his interest.

“Any reports of Sindri?” he asked setting his tea cup down to pick up his tablet.

“None, he still seems to be missing. I think Astra killed him personally,”

“We can’t know that for sure,” Itsuki began to flip through reports sent to him. Chen stood and walked around to read over his shoulder.

“You really should make these reports more readable,” she said.

“It is readable to me, you should learn my language,”

“What’s the point? I know every other language and you speak mine,” Itsuki laughed, but quickly frowned when he noticed a live incident report in his territory connected to the Union.

“I suppose peace could not last as long as I wanted,” He muttered more to himself. Chen raised an eyebrow.

“Something happened?”

“Seems there was an incident along the border,” Itsuki tapped a button that would translate the report so Chen could read it. Chen took the tablet and walked back over to the sofa she had been sitting on. Her brow furrowed as she read.

“You don’t think she will try to enter the Empire do you?” Chen asked as she set the updating report back down.

“If she has sent her A.R.T there, then yes, I believe she will,” Itsuki sighed and looked up at the weather report. “Maybe the time has come for you to send a few,” he paused looking for the perfect word to use, “tourists,” he settled on, “into the Old World Kingdom to look for Sindri,”

Chen gave him a dead panned look. “That place is crawling with her A.R.T, I would never see my so called tourists again. Why don’t we ask Sinclair? He seems to have an interest in sending aircraft into the Union,”

“How do you know that?” Itsuki asked raising an eyebrow.

Chen looked down at the report in her hand. “Two Dominion aircraft seen entering and leaving the township known as Santa Frontera,”

Itsuki blushed at his oversight and took the tablet back from Chen before calling in his secretary.

His secretary was a short man with salt and pepper hair. He kept with the traditions that had been passed down to him. Itsuki did not care much for him, but kept him around because he was a hard worker. The man eyed Chen. He had made it very clear he did not trust the company Itsuki liked to keep. For that he was often kept in the dark about Itsuki’s intentions.

“Takahiro, please send an invitation to Prime Minister Sinclair,” he ordered. He ignored Takahiro’s look of utter displeasure of having to relay a message to Ambrose Sinclair. Ousama chose that moment to come out of his tree house. Takahiro backed away as the monkey made him very nervous.

“Is there any particular reason, sir?” he asked eyeing Ousama as he grabbed some fruit from the table, and sat next to Chen to eat it.

“None that you need to concern yourself with,” Itsuki said. He sipped his tea and watched Chen scratch Ousama’s head. Takahiro glared at the dismissal, but did not complain outwardly. He simply nodded and left the room to make the arrangements.

Ousama raised a hand to Chen to offer her a bit of half eaten fruit which she kindly refused. Itsuki watched in silence, masking the dread that was building in the pit of his stomach of what was to come.

 


	14. Cursed with Silence

Cursed with Silence

Kid and Lix had followed the sanxian player into the jungle. In the three days it took for them to make it to the shore line of the Maple Empire, she never once spoke to them and would often disappear into the night, only to return with food the next morning.

After the first day, Kid figured out fairly quickly that she was not going to answer them at all. Lix, whether out of a discomfort in silence, or because he did not understand her coldness towards them, kept pestering her with questions and idle chatter. Kid did not mind and the sanxian player seemed indifferent to the situation.

The nights they had spend in the jungle were long and provided little rest for the three. The night noises made them uneasy and they were unsure if the A.R.T would follow them. When they arrived at the beach the soft warm sand was an inviting place to rest for a while. The sanxian player still did not speak, but bussied herself with making a fire. Once her task was complete she sat beside it as if she was waiting for something. Lix dug into the bag Kid was carrying and put on his terracotta jacket, sinking into the warmth of the fur lining. Kid pulled out the last of their food and began to divide it up between the three of them.

“Won’t you at least tell us your name?” Kid asked. He had walked over to her to give her her portion of their meal. She looked up at him with dark brown eyes, but said nothing. Kid sighed, abandoning the question. He went to turn away when she grabbed his wrist. He looked back at her. She grabbed a near by piece of driftwood and in the sand wrote. Kid had spent a long time learning other languages, he was drawn to languages that did not use the English alphabet and was proficient in reading the Chinese characters the girl now wrote in the sand.

“Yin Ling” he read. The girl straightened up and undid the collar to her tunic. She looked out at the sun setting over the ocean. Kid sat do beside her to eat his rations. Yin Ling shifted her sanxian and began to play a slow tune that matched the waves slowly lapping up onto the shore. The song seemed incomplete, as if the poetry behind the beautiful music was some how forgotten.

Lix looked out at the waves drifting in and out a daydream that he had been experiencing for the last few days. The hypnotic breathing of the waves and the melody played by Yin Ling lulled his eyes half shut. He could see a great grey wolf running towards him on the waves, calling to him.

“Lix! Lix!” Kid was shaking Lix’s shoulders. Yin Ling had stopped playing and her sanxian was firmly replaced to her back. Lix rubbed his eyes, where the wolf had been was now a giant ship, just off shore and a small boat sailed towards them. He stood up and fastened his jacket closed. Kid picked up the bag and adjusted it comfortably on his shoulder. He looked at his friend worried that Lix had been acting odd since their narrow escape from the A.R.T. Sure he tried to talk to Yin Ling, but there was something off about him.

The people in the boat called out to the three of them, Kid and Lix responded in kind and the boats moved closer. A young woman with black hair pinned tightly back and wearing the burnt orange uniform of the Empire Navy, hopped out once they were closer to shore.

“You three are a little far from port,” she said curtly. “You’re lucky we saw the fire and have orders to keep our eyes out for anything out of the ordinary.” Kid awkwardly put the fire out while Lix engaged the woman.

“Well, you know, we just took the road less traveled and all that,” Lix said, trying to be funny.

The woman rolled her eyes and looked over to Yin Ling, who was handing her a letter she had received from the Caretakers. She read it over and quickly folded it.

“Forgive my rudeness earlier,” she said. “I am Captain Forecast, we’ll see you all safely to the Capital,” she gestured to one of the men still in the row boat. He hopped out and took the bag from Kid before helping each of them into the boat. Once they were all securely in, they made their way back to the ship.

Captain Forecast remained quiet as the boat was hoisted out of the water. Her ship, was designed to look like a cloud at a distance, and up close it was streamlined and state of the art. She patrolled the ocean between all the areas of the Maple Empire as the ship was the fastest in the Navy. She jumped out of the small boat onto the deck with impressive skill. She ordered one of her Lieutenants to show Kid, Lix, and Yin Ling to a cabin where they would be able to rest for the few days it would take for them to cross the ocean.

“Once you three are settled please join me for dinner, I would love to hear what you have to report from the Union. Lieutenant Francis here will be your guide.” Lieutenant Francis saluted as he was addressed.

“Thank-you for your hospitality,” Kid said as he picked up the bag from the deck of the boat. Captain Forecast nodded and turned sharply on hear heels, leaving for her other duties.

Lix stumbled a little as the boat returned its coarse. He looked out into the dark to the little patch of beach they had just been resting on. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.


	15. Somewhere Beyond the Sea

**Somewhere Beyond the Sea**

Kid welcomed the hot shower he was allowed to have once they were settled into their cabin. The water trickled down through his thick, wavy, black hair which had grown quite a bit since he had left the museum. He began to wash his arms with the soap he was provided. He hadn’t realized that his naturally gold skin had become so bronzed in the sun in the last few days. He preferred the darker colour as he had began feeling happier since he had been exposed more to the sun in the last few weeks then he had growing up in the constantly cloudy grey Astral Union.

His thoughts began to wonder back to his home and the record player. He hadn’t realized until he heard Yin Ling playing on the beach how much he missed the sound of music. He began to hum to himself the melody of “Moanin’” the tune playing in his head as clear as the recording had been. He began to imagine himself in the past, wishing he was living in a time where he could hear the music he longed for whenever he desired.

His thought, however, were interrupted by Lix entering the bathroom.

“Are you almost done?” he asked. “We’re suppose to go to supper, and you have been in here forever!”

Kid looked out at the curtain and glared in a friendly manner at Lix. “I am almost done,” he said. “Also, you should really learn to knock,”

Lix blinked then realized his mistake. “Oh right, sorry I am not use to privacy,” he let out a laugh. Kid shook his head and turned off the shower and kept staring at Lix who had taken to looking at himself in the mirror.

“Lix,” Kid said “Mind getting out so I can get ready?” Lix looked at Kid’s reflection.

“Right, I guess you want privacy,” he let out another laugh and left the room to allow Kid to finish. Kid shook his head and grabbed the towel to dry himself off. He was still trying to figure Lix’s personality out. He liked to muse that Lix was secretly some sort of puppy in human form.

When he came out of the washroom, he found Lix and Yin Ling sitting on one of the beds together. The sanxian was resting on the outside of Lix’s leg and Yin Ling had her arms wrapped in a way around Lix so she could guide his fingers.

“Look, Yinny is going to teach me how to play this thing!” Lix said happily. Yin Ling glared at him for calling her “Yinny”

“Yinny?” Kid asked. “You enjoy nick naming people don’t you?”

Lix grinned at Kid and went back to paying attention to Yin Ling. She moved Lix’s pinkey finger to press down on the bottom string while she had him pluck that same string. He grinned at the sound it made. It fell a little flat, but he was impressed never the less. She adjusted his hand to get a clearer sound. She lifted his pinky to place his index finger higher up on the bottom string to produce a different note, then moved his middle finger to the middle string, plucking the middle string first, then the top string, middle string again, lifting his finger to pluck the bottom string. She was teaching him a song, although it was very clumsy.

There was a knock on the cabin door. Lix and Yin Ling stopped their lesson and looked over while Kid walked over to answer it. On the other side was Lieutenant Francis. The Lieutenant was broad and intimidatingly tall. His incredibly tanned skin suited the burnt orange of his naval uniform. He looked to be completely at home on the sea. The first thing Kid had noticed about the man though, was a thin black ring on his right middle finger. Spending time reading history books, Kid understood its significance and felt an instant kinship to the Lieutenant.

“The Captain has asked me to escort you three to dinner,” he said.

Kid looked over his shoulder at Lix and Yin Ling. Lix handed the sanxian back before standing up.

“It’s about time. I’m starving,” Lix stated.

The three followed the Lieutenant to the mess deck where Captain Forecast was waiting patiently for them.

Their meals were already placed out for them. It was a bowl of some sort of grey coloured goop that was designed to be quick to eat while providing all the necessary nutrients needed to survive. It was common food throughout the world now. Yin Ling looked at it with disgust and pushed it away slightly. Kid and Lix just began to eat without hesitation.

After a few bites, the Captain cleared her throat.

“So, who wants to explain why you three were so far from port?”

Kid and Lix stopped eating and looked at each other. They weren't sure how much they should tell her, or if they would be sent back to the Astral Union if they didn’t talk.

“Don’t worry, I won’t send you back to the Union,” she said as if she could read their concerns. “This letter here seems like it would be an interesting read for the Emperor,” she held up the letter Yin Ling had given her. Lix let out a sigh of relief. He had come too far to be sent back to the School.

“Well,” he began. “I was told the Maple Empire was a bit more, lenient towards my kind,” Forecast raised an eyebrow. Lix continued. “I am from the School just outside of New Sindri, and I escaped and used the Caretakers to head south so I could get a passport to get into the Empire and I met Kid here and he decided to come with me and see the world, see he was raised in a museum and…” Kid cleared his throat and nudged Lix in the side to get him to stop talking.

“What he was trying to say is the A.R.T for some reason were after us. We ran into the jungle to get away. If it wasn't for Yin Ling, who knows what might have happened.” Kid said. Forecast nodded and took a bite of her goop. She eyed them all.

“An interesting tale,” there was a hint of distrust to her voice. “I will take you to the capital as I have my orders to escort anyone fleeing from those wretched A.R.T to safety. However, I will ask that you restrict your wandering unless accompanied by Lieutenant Francis.” She said. The boys nodded, as they watched one of the crew whisper something into Forecast’s ear. She gave a curt nod and stood up. “I will leave you to finish dinner, the Lieutenant will return you to your cabin when you have finished.” She bowed quickly to the three of them and left.

***

A month into their voyage, Lix managed to make friends with much of the crew. Kid and Yin Ling stayed close together, but were not opposed with socializing with the crew along with Lix. One night, while the three were socializing on the mess deck, Kid was watching Lix flirt with his new group of sailor friends while Yin Ling was seeing to the maintenance of her sanxian. The off duty sailors were not overly rowdy, but they spoke in loud tones over top one another. Kid was use to conversational din, but the small room was a bit too much for him. He took his leave to get a little bit of fresh ocean air.

Lieutenant Francis had the same idea.

The Lieutenant always stayed close to the three, taking his duty very seriously. He became some what of an elder brother to them and was able to provide Kid and Lix with worldly advice. He smiled at Kid from the railing he was leaning against.

“Beautiful night,” he said. Kid nodded and took a deep breath. He enjoyed the salty breeze at night as it some how invoked a nostalgia in him. He looked up at the stars passing above them. Francis did the same. “Not enjoying yourself in there?” he asked.

“Oh I was having fun, just wanted some fresh air,” Kid said. He looked over his shoulder when he could hear Lix’s loud and intense laugh filter up from below deck.

“He is a character,” Francis said, guessing at Kid’s thoughts. Kid let out his own quiet laugh and nodded.

“I’m glad I met him though,” Kid said looking back at Francis. “Even if I don’t understand him,”

“I think that is the point of having friends,” Francis said. “You don’t need to understand them, you just need to support them.” Kid nodded in agreement. “Does it bother you though?” Kid raised an eyebrow, not understanding the question. Francis took a moment to think of a way to rephrase the question. “I suppose I mean, I have seen the way you look at Lix. A sort of curiosity, but also with a hint of confusion. Perhaps I have read it as you find him, hmm, charming yet his attentions have been more aimed towards my fellow crew then towards you.”

“It is true,” Kid started slowly “I find him charming, yes, there is a sense about him I don’t feel towards other people, but I am perfectly fine with watching him with others. I have never found that sort of thing appealing to be honest.”

“And Yin Ling?” Francis asked.

“Same thing,” Kid replied. “I think she is beautiful, but again I have never found that sort of thing appealing.”

“I understand what you mean,” Francis said. He gave Kid a smile and Kid smiled back. The moment that passed between them was one that reminded Kid how much happier he was out in the world.

 

***

The three woke from their deep sleep days later by being thrown out of their beds. The ship rumbled and lurched forward. Lix groaned as rubbed his head after it had been smacked against the floor. Yin Ling had been awake and was holding onto her sanxian to protect it. Kid had been violently thrown from his own bed and was trying to re-orientate himself as the ship shifted once more. The ship groaned around them as it began to settle. The three looked at each other wondering what had just happened. Lieutenant Francis burst into their room to check if they were injured.

“What was that?” Lix asked as he stood up.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” Francis lied. “Go back to bed,” he hurried out the door, locking them in. Kid’s eyebrows creased in concern.

“Think it’s the A.R.T?” Lix asked as if he could read his thoughts.  Kid nodded. He began to look around for either a way out or a way to see what was going on. The ship lurched to the side again knocking the three over once more. After Kid regained his footing, he went to the door and tried it with no luck. Yin Ling joined Kid and pointed to the video intercom. Kid looked at it and tapped in a code to try and communicate with Captain Forecast.

“Not now Kid,” Captain Forecast snapped when the link between the cabin and the main bridge was established. The ship was thrown off balance again. This time the three could hear the distinct sound of the pulsar guns the A.R.T used, but only louder and only just off the side of the ship. Forecast immediately hung up on Kid before saying another word and set the alarm to alert the crew they were under attack.

Lix had made his way over by this point and looked at Yin Ling who looked desperate to help fight. “Unless they have a weapons bay we don’t know about,” Lix began. “They don’t stand a chance against them,” Kid nodded in agreement. Yin Ling meanwhile was looking for a way to hijack the system to let them out.  Kid grabbed her hand to stop her.

“Even if we get out, we have no idea how close they are to us,” Kid said. Yin Ling made a face of frustration as she shifted her sanxian. The ship knocked them into the wall.

“We need to do something,” Lix said. He rubbed his forehead getting really sick of being thrown around. “What if we hack into the intercom system so Yin Ling can take care of them? I mean she’s the only one that seems to be able to do anything about them,”

“We would need to some how amplify the sound,” Kid said getting equally sick of the unsteady footing. Yin Ling looked around the room. She wasn’t about to give up or be deterred by a minor detail. She looked around the room and found an object to smash open the computer lock. The door didn’t budge, but the wires were now exposed making it easier to open the door manually. Kid and Lix watched her. They were impressed with her determination to help them all escape.

The ship shifted. Lix got to work on opening the door. It only took him a few moments to figure out how to make the door slide open, and as soon as it was open Yin Ling rushed pass like a cold winter breeze. Kid and Lix tried their best to follow her. The noise from the pulse cannon louder now as they made it out onto the aft deck.

They could now see the ship that followed. It was like a menacing black cloud of volcanic ash. Most of the crew occupied itself with keeping the ship from getting hit, but it was clear the other ship was going to overtake them. Yin Ling was at the edge of the deck, looking ready to jump. Lix hurried to stop her. Kid meanwhile looked for some way to help Yin Ling without having her jump into the ocean. He found a communication box that was connected to the ship’s speakers. At the moment all the power was being rerouted to the helm. He waved Lix and Yin Ling over. When he touched the control panel he felt the sensation that he knew exactly what to do. He didn’t question it, he just got to work hacking into the system.

“What the hell do you think you are doing down there?!” Forecast’s voice boomed through the loudspeaker. Lix grabbed the microphone to respond.

“Saving us!” he barked back. Forecast’s response was cut off as all sound was rerouted to that particular station. Kid nodded to Lix who put the microphone up to Yin Ling’s sanxian. She began to play, the twang slicing through the air. She played a frantic and fast paced tune, the sound skipped in slices across the air towards the other ship. As she played, Lieutenant Francis ran towards them under orders to stop them. Kid stood up to meet him.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” He yelled at Kid. The anger in his voice stung Kid, but he kept his ground.

“Saving us, the A.R.T can’t stand hearing music! Look they’re already slowing down!” Kid pointed.

Francis shook his head “You are going to kill us!” he roughly shoved Kid. Kid’s lean stature compared to Francis broad sailor stature allowed him to be easily tossed aside. He stormed over to Lix and Yin Ling, but was hit with a well aimed retaliation from the A.R.T. He flew back crashing into a door leading below. Yin Ling kept playing. The ship following slowed down, the distance between the two increasing faster and faster. Kid got to his feet and ran to the stairs Francis had been thrown down.

“Lieutenant!” Kid slid down the railing to get down faster. Francis had been thrown into a pipe that had been damaged from one of the earlier blasts. “Help!” Kid called out. He began first aid procedures calling his name to trying to get him to respond. Francis groaned as blood poured from his wound. Kid was trying to remain calm, but there was a panic to his voice. He called out for help again.

“Kid,” Francis coughed. “Are you OK?” he asked weakly. “I’m sorry for pushing you,”

“It’s ok Lieutenant,” Kid said. “We'll talk about it later after we get you some help,”

The sounds of the crew seemed distant as they ran to help. For Kid, time slowed down as he felt the blood gush between his fingers. Francis grabbed his right hand.

“I need to tell you something,” he knew the injury was severe.

“It can wait,” Kid said shaking his head. Tears began to form in his eyes. The blood felt hot in his hands. Francis slipped his black ring on Kid’s right middle finger and gave him a weak knowing smile. Before Kid could say anything he was being pulled away from Lieutenant Francis and back up the stairs.

***

The funeral was held the next day. As they seemed to be out of immediate danger, the crew gathered on the bow to listen to Captain Forecast praise the Lieutenant's achievements in his years of service. Kid sobbed silently beside Lix and Yin Ling. Lix held his hand to comfort him, while Yin Ling put a hand on his back. This was the first loss Kid could remember ever experiencing and he blamed himself for the Lieutenant’s death.

“- Francis’ death is a reminder to us that peace does not last and why we patrol these waters,” Forecast paused and looked at the shroud. “A war is coming,” she continued and looked at the three with venom. “And we must prepare ourselves,” She nodded to her first mate. He and a couple of other crew members threw the body off the deck. It made an unceremoniously splash, the crew saluted and were dismissed back to their duties. Lix wrapped an arm around Kid and hugged him. Yin Ling watched as Forecast walked over to them.

“We will arrive in a few days. You three are to remain in your cabin until we dock and after that I never want to see any of you near my ship again.” She pushed past them signalling to three crew to escort them off the deck. They each grabbed one of them and roughly dragged them off deck. The one who had taken Yin Ling pulled the sanxian off of her back and threw it on deck. Forecast stopped as she heard the strings snap and the wood crack. She didn’t look back, and after a moment walked back towards the bridge.

It was the last time any of them saw Captain Forecast.


End file.
